The Demon Within Revised edition
by Fizzbit
Summary: Chapter 10 Uploaded. When it is discovered that Seven Belmonts have been resurrected, Eric, Clara, Sora, and company go out to search for them before the forces of evil find them and use them to do their will. RR please!
1. Prologue

AUTHOR'S NOTE  
Alright, this is one huge crossover fan fiction, but its main theme is CASTLEVANIA. Okiedokie? Crossover elements include: Zelda, Vampire Hunter D, and X-Men. Disclaimers will be added when the story is finished.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
-PROLOGUE-  
  
The night was still and crisp, the light dew just beginning to fall and barely dampening all it fell upon. The moon was full and bright, casting its calm rays down upon the earth. However, not all was as calm as the earth had hoped for this night.  
Shurai pressed her body against the stone wall, tightly clasping the bundle in her arms as the metal clanging of armor was heard above her. The shadows provided her only protection, as she was unarmed. Her long ears attempted to pick up the sound of another horse, but she was disappointed when she heard nothing.  
She turned to the bundle in her arms, looking down at the slumbering babe within it, softly kissing her forehead. She placed a flap of the blanket over the child's face, leaving it loose enough for her to be able to breathe. Shurai slowly sidestepped along the wall deeper into the shadows as the guards led their horses down the wall via a stone stairway, praying to the goddesses that the clashing of metal wouldn't wake her child and cause her to scream.  
Shurai knew she had to find an escape path. She knew Kakariko Village like her own temple, but she didn't know the guards' patterns. They were looking for her child, no one else. She heard them talking amongst themselves, hearing them damn the child, calling her a 'spawn of Lilu' and that 'the holy mothers should smite the babe here and now, and even the mother for carrying such a horrid creature.'  
That second one was uttered in sheer hatred of the child; Shurai was a respected woman in Hyrule, more than the original seven sages. She slowed her breathing, making it quiet. She contemplated sending a blast of wind at them, sending them off of their horses, but that would alert the attention of the other guards, and she did not know where they were, and if she tried to sense them with her mind, she was afraid they would have a guard excelling in the psychic arts that could feel her trying to probe.  
The Sheikah woman looked frantically off to the hill beyond Kakariko, looking for the man who was to be her escort. When she saw him, she could run, but not until then.  
A small whimper came from the bundle, and Shurai knelt down, softly whispering calming words to her child, her eyes squeezed shut in hopes that the guards would not hear.  
"Any ideas?" one of the guards asked their leader. He thought for a long moment before grabbing the hilt of his sword tightly, testing its grip.  
"It would wake the village, but for a good cause. She is trying to keep the child quiet, and our stealth isn't helping. Make as much noise as you can until I stop you; perhaps the child will scream."  
Shurai was afraid they would do that. She held her child closer, her heart speeding up as she made a silent prayer.  
The guards all took their swords, clashing the flat side against their armors, clanging them together with a sound reminiscent of lightning. The sounds spooked their horses, who whinnied loudly and snorted frantically.  
It worked. Shurai's baby started to suck in breaths, letting out cries in between. Shurai couldn't help it now. She had to run. Extending one hand towards the guards, the other keeping a tight hold on the infant, she let loose a fierce blast of wind, luckily making it come opposite of the direction she was in, knocking over all of the guards. Their horses let out screaming wails, running off as fear gripped hold of them. As the guards were reeling from the gust, Shurai took off, one hand closed around her baby girl's mouth as she ran. They didn't see her, thinking she was in the direction where the wind came from. She hunched down near a house, seeing more guards, but this time, in the clear path in which she needed to run. This would be difficult.  
Concentrating her power, Shurai lifted her hand again, summoning a williwaw that came over the wall of Kakariko and swooped down upon the guards, literally lifting them off of their horses. They were taken completely by surprise, especially when Shurai then controlled the same gust to carry them back to where she had disposed of the original guards. Satisfied, Shurai ran towards the exit of the village, but just as she passed the gates, an arrow flew towards her, hitting the wooden gate. Splinters flew at her but weakly hit her. Someone was smart enough to figure out she was using a diversion. Shurai sent another wind gust back at the fallen guards, gaining enough time to run out of the village and into Hyrule Field. She only hoped the gusts she sent would signal her escort.  
Behind her, Shurai could hear the guards grunting and cursing at her as they regained their wits. She wanted to scream, to call for help, but was afraid that it would only call the attention of more guards. Instead, she focused on the job at hand, which was to get her child to safety. Getting out further into the field, arrows started to zoom past her, one almost catching her foot. They were getting impatient, and she couldn't stop to turn around and knock them aside for another brief moment to escape.  
Horses were heard now; they had obtained their horses again. Shurai knew she wouldn't get far now. They were shouting at each other as well as to her, telling her that her life would not be endangered if she merely handed over the infant. No; Shurai knew they would only kill her the moment she gave the bundle to their leader.  
The clopping of hooves got louder until one of the guards was riding along next to her. She ran away from him, but he only followed her. He was too close to send him away with the wind; she could hurt the baby. A hand reached down quickly, grabbing the bundle and ripping it from Shurai's arms.  
"NO!" Shurai shouted as he shoved her away and she fell to the ground. She struggled to sit up, her arms shaking under the weight of her own body, suddenly not used to holding the child. She watched the retreating horse, hurrying to her feet and starting to run after her child's captor. "No! Wait!" she shouted futilely. Her legs started to give out on her, and she cursed herself, not even noticing the rider that came up alongside the guard until the guard shouted at him. She stopped, her eyes growing wide with hope.  
It was her escort. He was here. "Thank Bryna..." she whispered, but that soon faded when she saw the guard pull out a small dagger, its blade glinting in the moonlight. It was made out of holy silver, and it was aimed at the bundle he held carelessly in his other arm. She screamed as he shot the dagger down, but the dark rider reached out, grabbing the child before the dagger pierced her body, or at least that's what she could see. Her escort's foot lashed out, and kicked the guard off of his horse before riding off himself towards the rendezvous point. Shurai weakly ran after him until reaching the Lost Woods. It would be safe here, which was why she chose this as their place to hide.  
"'Ello?" Shurai called out, panting for air, moving sweat-soaked strands of hair out of her face. She heard her child scream, a wail of pain rather than upset. She ran towards the sound, seeing the rider gently holding the babe, a shred of his cloak pressed against her face. Shurai feared the worst, and ran towards him as he dismounted slowly.  
"What 'appened?" She demanded, "Let me see..." her voice faltered as she saw the slash over her child's left eye. "...Oh Goddesses..."  
"I'm sorry I couldn't get her away in time," he said sincerely, his voice soft and deep. "Do not worry; her sight will be fine. She will only have a scar." He held the bundle out to her, which she took gratefully, wiping away the blood with the shred of cloth.  
"Thank ye, Morian," she whispered, "she'd be dead 'twasn't for ye."  
"You must get her out of Hyrule quickly before they find you again. Since she is a Dunpeal, they are afraid to have another incident like that of Enya."  
"I know..." she looked hopefully up at him. "Could ye...?"  
Morian shook his head. "I apologize, but I cannot care for her. The best I could do is leave her where someone may hopefully find her. I... do not know of any orphanages."  
Shurai bit her lip, looking back down at her child. She looked inside of her bundles, seeing the piece of parchment still concealed. "I wrote a letter t' whoe'er should find 'er... it's in th' language of yer world, tellin' 'er name..."  
Morian nodded slowly. Shurai sighed, taking the parchment and giving it to him. "Leave it next t' 'er."  
"I will..." he took the piece of paper and looked at it. "...Sora?" he asked, puzzled.  
"Aye, 'tis 'er name."  
Morian creaked what would be considered a smile. "I see... you do know how to cast a portal to my world, do you not?"  
Shurai nodded, handing Morian the child. "Please make sure she is left t' someone who will care fer 'er..."  
Morian took the baby, looking down at her. "I will, Lady Shurai."  
She lightly touched her lips to the baby's head, leaning up on her toes to reach her in Morian's arms. "Bye, Sora..." With that, she knelt down on the forest floor, chanting the spell and opening the portal, ripping the space before Morian. She looked up at him, her eyes filled with sorrow, but she knew Morian would leave her with someone who would watch over her.  
He gave her a final nod of farewell, and led his horse into the portal, and it closed behind him.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Morian appeared in a town outside of the portal. Shurai just cast a portal, not knowing where she was leading him. From his surroundings and the scent in the air, he could tell he was in Rome, Italy. The aura of this place was good, and although it was night now, in the morning it would be bustling with activity, and the child would surely be found by either tourists or a native.  
He placed Sora by a small tree in a town garden, the note next to her, and a flap of the bundle over her left eye.  
"What if she falls into the wrong hands?" something told him. That thought had already entered his mind, and he was afraid for Sora because of it, but he believed only someone with a loving heart would take in an injured baby, and especially one who was a Dunpeal, if anyone even knew what a Dunpeal was... hopefully they would not find out the hard way.  
However, he could tell this girl had a strong spirit. She had lasted through the pursuit, but left with a mark that would remind her heart of it for the rest of her life. Morian tightened the bundle around her, and she let out a small cooing noise. Slowly he moved away from her, mounting his horse, taking one last look at the child, and rode off, not going very far when Sora started to cry again. He chose to ignore her, hoping it would awaken someone who would help her, and continued to go his way.  
  
*  
  
Back with Sora, her cries awakened someone nearby, who at first looked out of his window, his golden eyes wide when he saw the bundle. Tightening his robe around him, he ran outside. He carefully knelt down and picked up the child, along with the note she carried with her. Her cries dulled down to soft sobs when she felt herself being picked up, and he read the note. It said her name and that her original mother could not afford to keep her safe, only wishing that whoever found her protect her and care for her.  
He smiled, looking down at the bundle in his arms, moving it out of her face, surprised to see the slash across her eye. She squirmed until one of her arms was out of the bundle, and, as if she could sense him there without even opening her eyes, she flailed the arm over to him, lightly tugging on his silvery white hair draped over his shoulder. He let out a light laugh. "Well, Sora," he said, "let's get you cleaned up and inside out of the cold..."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=- -SIXTEEN YEARS LATER-  
  
The streets of Romania offered no comfort as she ran through them. Sora was no longer a little baby, but instead a young woman, beautiful at any other time, but not now.  
Her hand was clasped over the area between her right shoulder and neck, where a deep bite wound would permanently scar her. Her other hand was on her side where a gaping wound slowed her running. She would heal, she knew she would; she had survived all of the other beatings, and had the scars to prove it, but she had to find help first. She had to get out of his reach.  
Behind her, Sora's adoptive father slowly advanced on her, not needing to run to catch up to the limping half-breed. Sora's head was filled with nothing but fear. She tried to run faster, but he caught up to her, grabbing her by her dark red hair, already caked with dried blood, and throwing her to the ground.  
Was he going to try and force himself on her again? Sora had fought him off the first time, which led to him biting her shoulder and attacking her. She lay on the ground, helpless as he stood up, kicking her side, right in her wound. She screamed in pain, finally looking up at him when he stopped, his vampiric fangs bared, his yellow eyes fixed on her.  
"Abbas, commodo dedi misericordia super mihi..." she pleaded.  
His eyes showed no care. "...Vos vadum intereo hic." With that, he turned and left, leaving his adoptive child to die.  
She watched him retreat, tears falling down her face. "Abbas, haud, commodo! Abbas!"  
He did not turn around, and she watched him go until he disappeared. She lay down, and tried to scream for help. She was near the suburbs, perhaps someone could help her, but no one came. She tried asking for help in several languages: Romanian, German, Latin, Russian, French, even English. No one came. She kept pleading until she felt unconsciousness take over her.  
  
*  
  
Two teenagers walked through the streets at night, the boy with his arm around his girlfriend. They were talking about random things, and fell silent when they saw the body on the floor.  
The girl gasped, running to the girl, kneeling next to her. "Hello? Hey!" She turned back to her boyfriend. "Eric, she's still alive! Call an ambulance!" 


	2. Chapter 1

-CHAPTER 1-  
  
-TWO YEARS LATER-  
  
Alucard sat down in the chair next to the bed, holding his sword in his hand, testing the way it held in his palm. He looked over at the alarm clock which he had turned off just a few minutes before it was set to go off at 6:30 AM. Now it was a quarter until 8, and he still hadn't woken up.  
  
"This..." he said, looking at the slumbering boy, "is Transylvania's future... how sad," he said, holding the blade horizontally over his face, opening the curtains to let in the new light. He moved his blade until the light reflected off of it and onto Eric's closed eyelids. He squinted for a minute, groaning and opening his eyes. Upon seeing the blade, he let out a yelp and sat up quickly, looking over to the alarm clock, a look of dread falling over his face.  
"Shit!" he shouted, throwing the covers off, moving Alucard's arm away and stumbling across the room, grabbing a black t-shirt and throwing it on haphazardly, and pulling a pair of blue jeans over his boxers, rummaging through his underwear drawer for a pair of socks. "Dammit, Gramps, why the Hell didn't you wake me up!"  
Alucard gave Eric his classic blank stare. "You should have gone to bed earlier, thus been able to awaken at an earlier hour."  
"Don't give me that bullshit! I have to prepare for mid-terms!" he growled, pulling on his socks and shoes, forgetting to tie them. "I'm gonna be late thanks to you, Gramps!"  
"Eric, wait—"Alucard grimaced when he started to run out of his room and tripped over his shoelaces, landing on the carpet with a loud thud. Eric cursed himself, sitting up and tying the accursed laces before taking off towards the kitchen, threw a couple of pop-tarts into the toaster and ran around, grabbing his books and papers that he had left out.  
Alucard walked calmly into the kitchen, catching the pop-tarts as they came up and putting them on a plate and onto the table, casually standing back as Eric snatched them up and ran out the door, nonchalantly shouting. "Bye, Eric."  
"I'm gonna kill you when I get home!" he shouted back.  
Luckily for him, John Morris High School wasn't too far from the Belmont Estate. It was a five-minute run, easy, it was just getting to his class which was on the other side of the school.  
People moved out of the way as he ran towards his Honors English 3 class. He ran into the room, skidding into his chair just as the bell rang, and his chair fell sideways with the force of his entry, falling into the girl next to him.  
"Eric!" Clara Belnades shouted, catching him and helping him sit his chair up. "Sheesh, what's going on with you?"  
Eric panted for breath before he spoke. "Alucard turned off my alarm clock..."  
"...Oh." She just blinked and pushed her glasses further up onto her nose. They both turned to get their books as the teacher began to call roll based on the seating arrangement.  
She scanned her paper and looked up, seeing the empty chair next to Eric. "Sora Tonitrus?" she called, looking around the classroom. "Sora?"  
"Is she gypping?" Eric asked bluntly. Clara just elbowed his ribs.  
The teacher reached for her pen and began to mark the student absent when the door opened and a tall girl, about 6'3", walked into the classroom, a few locks of her blood red hair hanging over her left eye. Her clothes were tight-fitting, mostly because she was so thin it was hard to find clothes that would fit her. She had a backpack carelessly slung over her shoulder. She sat down in the seat next to Eric, and leaned back in her seat. The teacher looked at her, giving her a stern look as she repeated. "Sora Tonitrus?"  
"Here," she replied dully. She looked over to Eric. "You were late, weren't you, Failure?"  
"Actually, no, not this time," Eric replied.  
"Eric Belmont?" the teacher called.  
"Here," he replied, and Clara replied the same even before the teacher called her name. She leaned forward in her desk. "I'm getting that new foreign exchange student today."  
"Where's he or she from?"  
"He's from Germany, if I remember correctly."  
"We're gonna have a kraut in our home?" Sora asked bluntly. Clara just gave her a hard stare before straightening in her chair.  
"I have to stop by the library after school to pick him up. Oh, and Sora? Please be nice to him."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Sora walked into the girl's bathroom after the bell rang to wash her hands, picking the clay out of her fingernails that she had acquired from sculpture class. She stood in front of the mirror as she dried her hands, wadded the paper when she was done and tossed it into the nearby trashcan. She stayed in front of the mirror for a second, and moved her hair out of her eyes, looking at the scar that clearly defined her appearance.  
Well... from what people could see, that was.  
She rubbed her shoulder as past memories came flooding back to her, moving her shirt collar aside to look at the ugly bite scar that had been inflicted on her that night. There were more than just this, and there probably would have been more if Clara and Eric hadn't come to help her...  
"Sora?" Clara called, opening the door, looking in. "Hey, I thought I'd find ya here. C'mon, we gotta go to the library."  
"Coming," Sora replied, pulling the collar back over the scar. She picked up her backpack and followed her friend.  
Two years had passed since that night, and her father hadn't tried to contact her. Perhaps that was a good thing. Maybe he knew that she was friends with a Belmont? Whatever it was, Sora didn't want to see him again.  
  
The library was empty, save for the two librarians and Eric, who had beaten Clara and Sora.  
"Gee," Sora mused, "doesn't look like he's here, eh?"  
"Who isn't?" Ms. Renard, the younger librarian asked. "Oh, the foreign exchange student?"  
"Yeah. Do you know when he's coming in?"  
"No idea," the other librarian, known as Mazier, spoke. Mazier hated being formal, so he insisted all students call him by his first name. Both he and Ms. Renard were friends of Eric's family, the Belmont clan.  
Sora just sat down at one of the reading tables, looking over at Mazier. "Yo, are you two going hunting tonight?"  
"Yup. Lili dug up the whereabouts of a few really old demons. One's hanging around Transylvania, and there's one that's kind of hiding around Romania, but we have a feeling he's gonna be running off soon. Fuckin' coward."  
"Any bounties?"  
"None whatsoever. Mazier's in this for the thrill of it," Ms. Renard replied, picking up a few books and putting them back on the shelves.  
"Do you even know their names?" Eric asked, setting his backpack on the table. Clara just ignored the conversation and walked over to the forbidden collection of books in the library where only her family, the Belnades Clan, and the Belmonts were allowed to check out from.  
"Actually," Mazier leaned over the desk and rested his chin in his palm. "No. We don't even know what kind of demons they are. Lilith still wants to go looking for Jadin Tray and his kid, but we haven't seen them around since Dracula's last defeat."  
"Speaking of that," Clara spoke up when she heard that part of the conversation. "Eric, I need to talk to you and Alucard tonight about the locket. I'm worried about it."  
"Yeah, okay," Eric replied.  
Sora's eyes followed Clara as she pulled a book of spells off of the shelf and put it on the desk, leaning over the computer desk and accessing the check out files, typing in the name of the book and checking it out to her name. She was a proctor for the library during third period, so she knew how to check out books on her own and not get yelled at for it.  
"Hey, think I could hire you two to look for my dear old loving father?" Sora asked sarcastically.  
Ms. Renard turned around and quirked an eyebrow. "Your real one or your adopted one?"  
"Both would be cool, but I'm more concerned about that miserable fuck who left me here to die two years ago."  
"Name?"  
"Lucian Tonitrus. I know I can look him up myself, and believe me, I've tried, but he's been reported as missing, more than likely dead. I know it's not like him to get himself killed that easily."  
"We'll look into it," Mazier replied gruffly. "No promises, though."  
Clara was putting the book away when the library door opened, and a student came in, his backpack slung over his shoulder, a sleeve of his flannel jacket torn and he walked with a very slight limp, but Clara could recognize it.  
"Clara Belnades?" he asked when he saw her, a German accent in his voice. Clara smiled and nodded. He tweaked the side of his mouth in what would probably be a sheepish smile. "Kurt Wagner."  
"Hi," she replied, then nodded towards the torn sleeve. "You okay?"  
"Huh? Oh..." he moved his hand and adjusted it. "Tripped..."  
Sora leaned over to get a better look at Kurt. "Who beat you up?" she asked bluntly. Kurt blinked, confused. Clara let out a slight 'eep.'  
"Oh. Kurt, this is my roommate, Sora Tonitrus, and my boyfriend Eric Belmont," she said, gesturing to them as she said their names. Eric weakly waved, and Sora gave him the same greeting she gave everyone else – her classic blank stare.  
The silence was broken when Mazier cleared his throat. "Alright, you all are here, now get out, the school's gotta close soon and that includes the library. Eric, Lilith and I'll be at your place later tonight if Clara wants to talk to us." Eric nodded.  
  
*  
  
Out in the parking lot, kids were still lingering around, honking their horns at each other and trying to be smart by blocking the exits. Clara led Kurt to her car and unlocked it, but before she got in, she turned to Eric. "You need a ride?"  
He shook his head. "Nah, I'm fine."  
"What's wrong, fuckup?" Sora asked. "Too afraid you'll ruin your girlfriend's car?"  
"Would you stop calling me that?"  
Sora smirked. "What? It's the truth." With that, she climbed into the shotgun seat.  
Clara rolled her eyes and turned back to Eric. "You sure? It's not really out of the way..."  
"Clara, I'm fine. If I can run here in five minutes, I can walk back in ten," he said, giving her a quick peck on the lips. Clara shrugged. "Okay."  
"Love you."  
"Love you, too."  
Clara got into the car and started up the ignition, turning to check around her, and halted upon seeing Sora, who was pulling out a pack of cigarettes. "...What are you doing?"  
"I'm eighteen, Clara, leave me alone," she replied.  
"Put those away! You're gonna choke my car!" Clara exclaimed, grabbing them from her and shoving them into the glove compartment. Sora shrugged. "Not like they're gonna hurt me..."  
"So... Kurt, why'd ya decide to come to Romania?" Clara asked, trying to start up a conversation.  
Kurt shrugged. "Foreign Studies. I'm supposed to stay here from the middle of second semester to the end of Summer Break."  
"Where's your luggage?"  
"It's in my backpack."  
"No books or papers?"  
Kurt shook his head. "No, the school said they'll supply those later; they want me to get settled down first."  
Within minutes, they pulled into Clara's driveway, and they got out. Clara tossed the keys to Sora to unlock the door while she unloaded hers and Sora's backpacks, and even grabbed Kurt's.  
Kurt halted outside of the car door. "This is your house?"  
"Yup."  
"It's huge!"  
Clara shrugged. "Eh, I guess. My parents let me move out of their clan and closer to Eric's family. Come on in. Oh, and don't mind Sora. She hates strangers. I forgot to ask you, are your parents mailing you anything extra? Like extra clothes, belongings, etcetera?"  
"Yeah, it will take about a month before they get here, though..."  
Clara smiled. "Eh, if you get too uncomfortable we can just take you out shopping. Come on."  
When they went inside, Sora was laying on her stomach on the sofa, staring at a wall. Clara tossed her backpack at her, and Sora caught it in midair.  
"I'm going to show Kurt his room. You stay here," Clara told her as if Sora was a disobedient child. Sora just held a thumbs-up to her.  
Clara led him upstairs and unlocked the door, opening it. "Alright, here we go. I painted the walls white and gave you white sheets. Y'know; a blank slate so you can decide what you want to do with it. I have thumbtacks you can use for posters and stuff, and extra bed sheets, don't be afraid to ask for them," she said, walking over and hanging his backpack on the closet door.  
Kurt nodded, stepping into the room. "Um... are there any rules that I need to know about?"  
"Oh yeah! Rules. Um, just the usual, keep everything tidy, don't feed the Sora, no partying if we're out... there are some extras, though. Sora, Eric, and I tend to stay up really late for reasons that are our own – we're not party animals or drug abusers or anything – so we sleep in the afternoon a lot, just be quiet from around three to six or seven if we take a nap. Um... there's plenty of food in the kitchen, so help yourself if you're hungry. Oh, speaking of which, I'm going out for supper in a little bit. You like tacos?"  
"Yeah."  
"Cool. You and Sora can stay here, I'll be back in a little bit," Clara said, heading towards the door.  
"Whoa, wait," Kurt spoke up, "You're gonna leave me alone with her?"  
Clara couldn't help but laugh. "Don't worry, I'll talk to her. She's really not such a bad person once you get to know her. She's just afraid of men."  
"Why?"  
"Bad childhood. Very bad. I didn't say anything, okay?"  
Kurt nodded, and Clara left. She ran downstairs and stopped at the door, turning back to Sora. "Can you be nice while I'm gone?"  
"Where you goin'?" Sora asked.  
"Tacos. Want one?"  
Sora made a face. "...But tacos have vegetables on them..."  
Clara paused. "You need to eat vegetables. You're part human, remember?"  
Sora just hissed at her. "Get me a burrito, and this time, not a sancho. Those have veggies too. Ick."  
"Whatever. And leave Kurt alone. Try and be friendly to him; y'know, bond?"  
Sora blinked in disbelief. "You want me to engage in bondage? With a man?"  
"Sora!"  
"Alright, alright! Go!"  
Clara rolled her eyes and left, closing the door behind her. Sora watched her leave, listening for the car door to close, the engine to start up, and for the car to pull out of the driveway. She sighed in relief, reaching under the couch cushion for the pack of cigarettes she had hidden along with an extra lighter. She lit a cigarette and hid the pack again.  
"Those are bad for you..."  
Sora didn't turn to look at Kurt. "They don't hurt me."  
"They will eventually."  
This time Sora did turn to look at him. "They won't hurt me," she said confidently. Kurt swallowed when he saw the scar across her left eye. He didn't seen it earlier because her hair had covered it. "Don't ask about the scar," she told him, "I don't know when I got it or what from. I've had it my entire life." She took a puff on the cigarette and exhaled before turning back around.  
Kurt just stood there, confused. He shook his head and walked over to her, sitting at the other end of the couch. "Look, I know you're anti- social, but is there anything in particular that I did to upset you? If so, I'm sorry."  
Sora stayed silent for a moment, flicking off her ash in an empty glass cup left out. She held the cigarette in her hand casually and looked at him. He looked at her hopefully. "Well?"  
She just stared blankly at him. "You're a man. That's why I don't like you. Stay on my good side and maybe I'll smile for you. Until then, sorry in advance if I'm a bitch to you if you don't deserve it."  
"Fair enough."  
She finished the cigarette and snubbed it out in the glass, standing. She stood in the middle of the living room for a moment, hearing a car pull up. "Clara's back," she announced dully, picking up the glass and dumping its contents into the trash. Clara walked in the door holding a brown paper bag and set it on the table. "Alright... got ten tacos, we can all share, Sora, you have two burritos; Kurt, I got a mixture of soft and crunchy tacos. Didn't know what you liked," she explained, pulling out the platter that held her taco salad and distributing the tacos out and tossing Sora her food.  
  
*  
  
After supper, Clara ran upstairs to grab something and came downstairs. Sora looked over towards her. "What, we going to Failure's house now?"  
"Stop calling my Eric that," Clara hissed back. "Kurt, you have to come, too; we can't leave you alone at the house, sorry. It won't be long." 


	3. Chapter 2

-CHAPTER 2-  
  
Ms. Renard was outside of the Belmont Estate when Clara pulled her car outside of the gates. Clara typed in the security code hidden under a fake brick and opened the gates. When they got closer to the doors, Kurt stopped. "Ms. Renard?" he asked, wondering why she was there.  
"Outside of school, please call me Lilith. I may be more formal than Mazier, but not that formal," she said, turning to Clara. "Mazier, Eric, and Alucard are waiting for you. They requested that," she turned her attention to Sora, "Sora is not to attend the meeting."  
"Gee, I feel loved. What about you?" Sora asked, folding her arms over her chest. Lilith shrugged. "I'm choosing not to attend."  
Clara nodded. "Okay... is it okay if Sora and Kurt wait with you?" Lilith nodded. "Thanks," Clara said with a smile, and hurried inside.  
  
*  
  
The three were in the estate's library, which was the only quiet room available around nighttime. Mazier was sitting behind a desk reading a book, Alucard was standing casually near a lamp, and Eric smiled when he saw Clara.  
"Did you bring the locket?" Alucard asked. Clara reached into her pocket and pulled the golden locket engraved with a dragon out by its chain. She reached into her other pocket and pulled out a piece of paper.  
"I got this letter asking about the locket just yesterday," Clara started, "As we all know, the locket supposedly contains Elizabeth Bartley, who was defeated in 1917 by Eric Lecarde, and, at least to my knowledge, no one but you three, Sora, and Lilith know that I have it."  
"What does the letter say?" Mazier spoke up, not looking away from his book. "And who's it from?"  
"It's anonymous, but whoever wrote it is requesting, no, almost demanding that I give them the locket by a certain date or they will come to me themselves and retrieve the locket by force. Gee, I love threats."  
"And they fail to know that you have a Belmont, two vampires, and two Dunpeals who would jump to aid you," Eric said daringly. Clara giggled.  
"Not to mention my powers have gotten stronger," she told him. Alucard quirked an eyebrow as he asked, "Have you been able to cast the Ice spell yet, milady Belnades?"  
Clara's gaze fell to the floor. "Um... I'm halfway there... all I'm getting is... well, slush... not ice. I have every other Master Witch spell down, though! If I can master Ice, then I can move on to the more powerful spells that are only granted to sorcerers and sorceresses."  
"Good luck," Mazier said blandly.  
Eric chuckled and shifted in his seat. "Do you have any idea who the letter could be from, Clara?"  
"My guess would be Jadin," Mazier interrupted, "After all, he was Bartley's lover. I don't have any idea as to why he'd know about you having the locket, though, and according to the online records, he hasn't been in Romania since her death. Rumors say that he actually fell with Castle Proserpina."  
"You don't believe in rumors, Mazier," Clara stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"I never said I thought he was dead. Anyone else you think about?"  
Clara shook her head. "No one."  
Eric leaned forward in his seat. "Do you want the Belmonts to watch over the locket for you, Clara?"  
"That would be ill-advised, Eric," Alucard spoke up, "You must look ahead to see what consequences may confront you on your actions. If this estate were to hold the locket of which contains my cousin, and whoever wrote that letter does indeed approach Miss Belnades without the locket within her grasp or property, he or she may indeed inflict harm upon her. I would suggest leaving the locket with Miss Belnades. Sora is very capable of protecting her, and now that she is housing a foreign exchange student, I would advise you, Miss Belnades, to tell him of any and all ways in which to contact the Belmonts in case any... unnatural harm... comes to you."  
Clara stayed quiet for a moment and turned to Eric. "Sorry, honey, but I'm gonna have to go with his idea."  
Eric just shrugged.  
Mazier closed his book and stood. "Well, Lilith and I have to go out hunting before it gets too late. Clara, Eric, you wanna come?"  
"Not really, I have to get back. It's Kurt's first night here, so I have to make sure he'll be okay during the night," Clara said.  
"Not this time, sorry," Eric told him.  
  
*  
  
Lilith and Sora were chatting when they came back out, and Sora quirked an eyebrow. "What is it?"  
"I'll tell you when we're back home," Clara said. "Kurt, you ready to go?"  
Kurt looked up when he was addressed, blowing a strand of his black hair out of his face. "Yeah."  
Clara unlocked her car and looked back at Lilith. "Hey, Sora and I might go with you and Mazier tomorrow night."  
"Whoa, what about tonight?" Sora asked, looking quickly to her friend.  
"We can't, Sora. Besides, I have to talk to you."  
Sora made a face and got into the front seat just before Kurt climbed into the back. Clara waved good-bye to everyone and got in the car, starting it up and driving away.  
  
*  
  
Clara was getting ready for bed when Sora came into her room, closing the door quietly behind her before walking over and sitting on Clara's bed. "Kurt's asleep; I checked on him before coming here."  
"Thanks."  
Sora narrowed her eyes, worried. She pulled her knees up to her chest, hugging them. "Clara, what's going on?"  
Clara lightly twirled the golden locket by its chain between her index finger and thumb. Before sitting down with Sora, she rubbed the wicks of some burnt out candles, which then lit up when she pulled her hand away. The little bit of light was all she really needed. She pulled out the letter and handed it to Sora.  
Sora scanned over it quickly and handed it back to her. "I think it's a threat."  
"I do, too."  
"You know if you get another one you're gonna have to sleep in a different room each night?"  
Clara nodded. "Any idea who could have sent this?"  
"What did Eric and all of them say?"  
"Mazier suggested Jadin, and that's as much as we got. I don't think it's him."  
Sora watched as Clara folded the letter up and put it on a nightstand. She sighed lightly. "Did anyone from the Belnades clan know you have the locket? Your parents?"  
Clara shook her head. "Why?"  
"Never mind, that rules out my guess."  
Clara stared at her blankly, cocking her head to one side. "Sora, it couldn't be him. He wouldn't hurt me."  
"You never know, kiddo. I'm worried about you, y'know."  
"Yeah..."  
Sora squeezed Clara's shoulder. "Well, I'm gonna go to bed. You get some sleep, scream if anything bugs you."  
"Yeah, okay."  
Sora kissed Clara's forehead. "Good night."  
"'Night."  
Clara watched her leave, and briefly called after her. "Sweet dreams."  
Sora just waved her hand in the doorway. Clara smiled, and took her glasses off, folding them up and setting them next to the folded up letter, and put the locket in the lockable drawer in her nightstand. She slipped under the blankets, her back facing the window, and snapped her fingers, the room becoming just a shade darker from the candles going out.  
She didn't have school the next day, so she didn't have to worry about being so nervous to the point of not sleeping, but she was worried. She usually didn't take threats seriously, but if they knew she had the locket, it was worth worrying about.  
What worried her most was who Sora thought it was... no, it couldn't be him. No member of her family would hurt her. Especially him.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Sora was running, searching... all of the doors were locked; she couldn't get out. Lucian grabbed her as she tried to run a corner, and held her wrists together with one hand, attempting to force her pants off with the other. She screamed and writhed, kicking his shins in a sad attempt to break free. Lucian slammed her up against a wall, but she still kicked. She wouldn't let him take her; she would die before giving herself to him.  
He cursed her in Latin before baring his long vampiric fangs and slamming them into the region between her neck and shoulder, biting deep and hard. It hurt like Hell. Sora couldn't scream. She felt his fangs scratch against bone.  
Managing one bout of strength, she kneed Lucian in the gut, forcing him away from her. She ran for the nearest window, since all of the doors were locked. Lucian was still recoiling from the blow. Sora held one hand over the bite wound, distantly hearing Lucian unsheathe a short sword. She backed up a few steps, and charged, jumping through the window. The shattering glass scratched her all over, and she landed on the hard concrete twenty feet below—  
  
*  
  
Sora screamed, sitting bolt upright, her head jerking back and forth. Forgetting she could see in the dark, Sora fumbled for a lamp, clicking it on and flooding the room with light, looking around. She was paranoid about that... always having to turn on a light whenever she had a nightmare about her father. She didn't know why, she just felt that he was stalking her constantly.  
She slowly turned off the lamp, laid back down, and curled into a fetal position, not bothering to pull the blankets over herself, despite the room being chilly and she hated the cold. She squeezed her eyes shut, keeping back tears. Sora refused to let her fears overtake her, but she could never face her father. She was more afraid of him than anything in the world.  
The room was too quiet for the moment. Whenever Sora was upset or scared, she couldn't stand the room being quiet unless she wasn't alone. She was afraid that whatever she was afraid of would really happen. It sounded childish, yes, but given her life and childhood, anyone would be the same way. She sat up, opening her nightstand drawer and pulling out her discman which was loaded with an Evanescence CD, and headphones. She turned it on, and reached back into the drawer, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter.  
Getting halfway through the cigarette, and into the fourth track of the CD, something twitched in Sora's senses. She hit the stop button and waited. There was someone nearby, no... they were a good distance away, but she could feel them.  
A giant aura of magic? It wasn't Clara, but it felt very similar to Clara's magic. Alucard was a strong magic user, maybe he was out with Lilith and Mazier? No... his magic was dark and felt nothing like this. This magic was dark as well, but also light.  
After awhile, it went away. Sora shuddered, and drew in another breath of the cigarette. Maybe it was the demon Mazier and Lilith were hunting? Finishing the cigarette, she decided she wouldn't bring it up. Maybe Clara was just having a nightmare or something...  
...But that wouldn't explain why the magic felt so distant yet powerful. 


	4. Chapter 3

-CHAPTER 3-  
  
Sora woke up at 6:30 in the morning, a habit she was trying to break. Lucian had taught her to be like a real vampire and stay up all night. She had done so when living with him, but since she moved in with Clara, she was trying to be more human. It was working, but she was just waking up really early.  
Rather than try and get back to sleep, Sora got out of bed, smoothing out the wrinkles of her nightshirt as she stretched. After the nightmare, Sora's sleep was restless, her subconscious triggering her to wake up at any suspicious moments in dreams. She didn't recall any dreams after the nightmare, but didn't bother with it.  
Sora walked downstairs and into the kitchen. She grabbed a cup and poured herself some soda. Clara depended solely on coffee for her caffeine, while Sora hated the black beverage and turned to soda. She could wake up just as easily without any caffeine, but she liked the rush.  
Speaking of coffee, Clara would probably be waking up in about an hour, and would be demanding her cup, with her face planted in the table until she got it. Sora readied the coffee pot with twelve cups (6 oz. cups, not 8 oz.), poured three scoops of coffee grinds inside of the filter, and turned it on. The machine gurgled before beginning its brewing process, the scent of water hitting the grinds producing a displeasing scent to Sora's senses, and she grimaced slightly before taking another swig of her soda. She could hear someone shuffling about in their room; Kurt was awake, but wasn't planning on coming out for awhile.  
Half an hour later, Clara woke up, groggy. She trudged into the kitchen, and saw the coffee pot finished brewing. She came over to Sora and gave her a light hug. "I love you," she said. Sora grinned, "Yeah, only until the coffee's gone. Wake up, kiddo."  
Clara poured a big mug of the black beverage and sat at the breakfast bar, folding her arms over the counter, resting her forehead on them. Sora glanced over at her and finished off her soda. "How'd you sleep?"  
"Terribly. I had a lot of nightmares."  
"You too?"  
"What'd yours have?" That was a tradition of theirs; Sora didn't really believe in it since it never worked for her, but Clara sometimes did; whenever they got really bad nightmares they would tell each other about them, and hopefully they would go away.  
"My father," Sora said dryly. "You?"  
"Not sure... one thing was for sure, it was magic influenced; I couldn't wake up for awhile, and when I did, I couldn't scream for you. It was just filled with a lot of memories, good at first, then progressing into bad."  
"Taryn?"  
Clara fell silent, and took the first sip of her coffee, shrugging. "I'm not sure... you know he never wanted to hurt me, why would he now?"  
"Because your family kicked him out?"  
"That's not a legitimate answer, Sora..." Clara mumbled, taking another gulp of coffee and pushing her glasses up on her nose.  
"Clara," Sora began, resting her chin in her hand, "last night, after I woke up from my nightmare, I felt a really strong magic presence, and it was nowhere near here."  
"What about it?"  
Sora hesitated, looking around. Clara didn't want to believe it may be Taryn, but Sora had to bring forth evidence. "...It felt a lot like your power, Clara. It was from a Belnades, I have no doubts about that."  
Clara's face paled, and both of them stayed silent for a moment. When Clara opened her mouth to speak, she was cut off by a door opening, followed by Kurt coming out of his room. Clara shut up and turned back to her cooling cup of coffee. "We'll talk later."  
Sora nodded, and Clara finished the cup, turning around and smiling to Kurt as he came in. "'Morning. Want some coffee, soda, juice?"  
"Blood?" Sora whispered silently. Kurt shook his head, declining Clara's offer.  
Clara got up and poured herself another cup of coffee, and sat down. "Kurt, we'll be going out tonight, so tomorrow, be a little quiet so we can try and get some sleep, okay? How'd you sleep last night?"  
"Alright, I suppose," Kurt replied. "I mean, as comfortable as anyone can in a new place."  
"Wimp," Sora murmured.  
Clara just lifted an elbow and calmly rammed it into her friend's ribs.  
  
*  
  
That night, Eric came along with Mazier and Lilith to pick up Clara and Sora. Clara hurried to the kitchen, careful not to trip over the hem of her blue dress, and grabbed some money, giving it to Kurt.  
"This is in case you want to order a pizza or go and get a soda or anything; there's a convenience store on the corner. If we're not back in the morning, Eric's number is on the fridge, you'll be calling his grandpa; ask him if he's seen us. If not, he'll know what to do, trust me. Think you'll be okay?"  
Kurt nodded. "Yeah, I should."  
"Great. Don't go any further than the convenience store if you have to leave; it's not really safe around here at night," Clara warned, and hurried to her bedroom, grabbing her staff before leaving.  
Mazier looked over to Sora. "Hey, you want the claymore or the katana?"  
"What're you using?" Sora asked, quirking an eyebrow. Mazier reached into his trench coat, pulling out a gun that was about twice the size of a pistol, only the barrel was a good foot and a half long. Mazier grinned. "13mm explosive shells. The bullets have holy water in them."  
"You still need a sword," Lilith murmured.  
"I'll take the katana," Sora replied, catching it as Mazier lightly tossed it to her in its scabbard.  
Clara clutched her staff, the Belnades Staff, the actual staff that Sypha used over 500 years ago. "Isn't that heavy?" she asked. Sora shook her head, strapping it across her back. Mazier, Lilith, and Sora were the only ones in the group who could use a katana. Not only did they have the superior strength to wield it, they were tall enough. Mazier's katana was six feet long, whereas he stood a good seven feet; Lilith's was shorter by about eight inches, and Mazier's alternate, which he let Sora use, was a couple of inches longer than Lilith's.  
"Where are we going tonight?" Clara asked. Lilith answered, not looking in her direction. "Mazier found the location of one of the demons we were talking about earlier; it's very close by."  
"Do you even know what kind of demon it is?" Eric asked.  
"Nope," Mazier replied, "And we don't have any time to waste. Let's go."  
  
*  
  
Mazier led them to a nightclub a few miles away, and before they went in, Clara halted. Eric stopped, turning around. "Clara, what is it?"  
Clara stared blankly at the nightclub door. "There's a whole nest of vampires in there; too many. We'll die if we go in there."  
"Anything else?" Mazier asked, keeping his hand on the handle of his gun inside his coat. Clara closed her eyes, trying to scan the club.  
"There's... something in there... but I don't know what. It's powerful. We can't go in there yet. Something's happening."  
Sora sighed, looking at the ground. Finally, she looked up and said, "How about we peek in through one of the windows?"  
Eric stared blankly at her. "...Sor, they're completely cloudy glass, you know, where you can't look through them?"  
"Hello?" Lilith spoke up. "Vampires here. We can see through them no matter what?"  
Mazier patted her on the back and walked over to one of the windows. Clara huddled closer to Eric, scared. "Be careful."  
He scoffed, and looked in, narrowing his eyes to see through the haze of cigarette smoke in the place. "Uh... looks like some sort of fight going on..." he pressed his ear up against the wall. "Some guy in there is claiming to be what the vampires are calling 'Silver Wing'."  
Lilith's eyes widened. "Maz, we better leave."  
"Why?"  
"You know Silver Wing!"  
Eric looked around. "Wha, who's Silver Wing?"  
Lilith backed up a few steps. "He's older than Mazier, I'll tell you that."  
"He a Vampire?"  
Lilith shook her head. "Worse than a Vampire; Incubus. A really powerful one."  
"He's the first," Mazier murmured.  
What happened next, everyone could hear: the vampires inside began screaming. Clara looked around frantically, trying to think of something. "What's happening?"  
"I... can't tell. He just touched a vampire... and it dropped dead."  
Sora stared at him in disbelief. "What...? How?"  
"Now none of them are moving..."  
Clara's eyebrows pinched together. "I say we just blow up the place; all I have to do is just cast a fire spell... it should become one big bomb when it reaches the alcohol... no matter that it's a vampire nest, there's still gotta be some wine or beer in there."  
"I like that idea," Lilith said softly. Mazier nodded, and backed up about fifty feet, everyone else following and ducking behind the nearest building.  
"Alright, Clara!" Eric shouted, "Torch the sucker!"  
Clara nodded, and held her staff in front of her, parallel to the ground. She closed her eyes, first of all, casting a protective spell so she wouldn't get taken with the blast. She then slowly turned her staff until it was vertical, silently and quickly murmuring a spell. Her palms, wrapped around the staff, began to glow red, small embers falling from them onto the ground below. She then opened her eyes as she said the last word of the spell, and opened her arms wide, her staff still standing as she let forth a burst of flames from her hands. She quickly closed her hands around the staff again, bracing herself as the ball of flame crashed through the door. Sure enough, she was right, and a small explosion was heard as it hit a beer bottle, causing a chain reaction, hitting the caskets. Shrieks were heard as the vampires right next to the explosion were incinerated, and soon after, the whole nightclub exploded. Clara let out a light whimper as she stood her ground, the flamed and debris flying past her, crashing into the shield.  
As the flames rose, everyone saw a figure leaping up into the sky, opening a pair of bright silver wings and flying away. Mazier took his gun, pointed up, and began firing, and Lilith did the same with her crossbow. A bullet hit the Incubus in his shoulder, but failed to explode. Mazier gritted his teeth. "Shit!" Lilith aimed again and fired, hitting the web of one of his wings, instantly reducing his speed and altitude.  
"I'll follow him! You all make sure that explosion killed all the vampires!" Sora shouted, running off, katana in hand.  
  
*  
  
This wasn't good; the Incubus was flying towards the suburbs; some people were still outside; he could feed off of anyone and instantly regain his health! Worse yet, Sora found herself following him near hers and Clara's house. She hoped Kurt was inside...  
She was so busy watching him that she didn't notice the civilian outside that he was heading for. When she finally did see him, it was too late; Silver Wing had already landed and took hold of the human, who immediately began to writhe out of his grasp. She halted when she saw the young man, and her eyes widened.  
"KURT!" she cried out. Kurt's head snapped up, his eyes wide, and he squirmed more, trying to free his wrists of the demon's grip.  
A gunshot came out of nowhere. Dammit, Sora told Mazier to stay behind! The shot was aimed for Silver Wing's shoulder, but it missed, hitting Kurt's wrist, luckily it hit his sports watch that he wore on his left wrist, and it was another dud, but Kurt shrieked more than a shocked person should have. He kicked Silver Wing away, and Sora saw him give her a fleeting look...  
...Then he disappeared. 


	5. Chapter 4

-CHAPTER 4-  
  
After Kurt's sudden retreat, the Incubus took off again, flying off towards some unknown destination. Mazier wanted to follow him, but Sora wanted to find Kurt and make sure he wasn't hurt. She ran over to his destroyed watch, which had fallen off due to the shot, narrowing her eyes when she saw the face of it. In fading letters, it was flashing 'malfunction'. What did that mean?  
"Kurt?" Sora called out, standing, "Kurt!" she spun around to face Mazier. "What the fuck were you thinking?! You're never supposed to shoot anyone with a hostage! You're lucky it was a goddamn dud or his hand might be gone!"  
She ran off before Mazier could answer, trying to find any trace of his scent. "Kurt!" She couldn't believe this happened. And how did he disappear like that?  
Luckily, he hadn't gone far; she picked up his scent near the house; he was bleeding, which wasn't surprising. He was hiding behind some hedges near the tool shed, whimpering from the pain in his wrist. "Kurt?" she called out.  
"Go away!" Kurt snapped. Sora gasped at how fierce he sounded. Slowly, she sheathed the katana in its scabbard, and knelt down. "Kurt, please; you're hurt, you need help."  
"No one will want to!"  
"What...?" Sora swallowed, unable to see him through the bushes. "Kurt, what are you talking about? Please, come out, Clara and I will help you!"  
"No you won't, you'll just kill me!"  
"Kurt, what the fuck is wrong with you!"  
Kurt didn't reply, but Sora could smell fear coming off of him. She sighed. "Kurt, I know I acted harsh towards you, but I swear, that's just how I act towards people I'm not used to being around. I wouldn't hurt you. If it's some kind of big secret, I have tons of them, too. Clara, Eric, Mazier, Ms. Renard, and Eric's grandpa all do too. We're here with you all the way."  
She heard Kurt shuffle, digesting what she had said. She bit her bottom lip softly. "Kurt... please."  
"You'll laugh at me..."  
"Why would I?"  
"Because I'm not the same; you'll hate what I look like."  
"That's for me to decide."  
Kurt shuffled again, pausing before standing up. Sora mirrored his actions, although standing quicker than him. Her eyes widened at what she saw:  
Kurt looked completely different; Sora hardly recognized him. His skin was a deep blue, and from what Sora saw, he had short velvet-like fur. His eyes were yellow without pupils, his black hair was a deep indigo, his hands bore three fingers, and he even had a tail. She couldn't see his feet.  
He looked down at the ground as if ashamed, but he couldn't help but be surprised as Sora just stood there, her expression leaning somewhere towards sorrowed pity. Eventually he looked up at her. "...You can run off screaming in terror now," he murmured.  
Sora only gave a weak smile as she reached out and touched his cheek. "Let's go inside and get that wrist bandaged."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Honestly, Kurt thought Sora had fallen on her head from the way she was acting. It was like a total transformation. The last time he saw her, she was glaring at him like she was going to eat him. Now, she was being nicer than he could ever imagine her to be. She had cleaned his wound and bandaged it, and then called Alucard, telling him to come over. He came in right before Clara and the others. The first thing Mazier asked was, "Did you find him?"  
"He's in the family room," Sora murmured, then, in a hushed tone, told everyone, "Guys, he doesn't exactly look the same, so don't recoil in terror or anything when you see him."  
Mazier quirked an eyebrow, confused. "What, did the shot leave a hole in his wrist or something?"  
"Not really, but... Clara," she said, turning to her friend, "I think we all need to tell him who we really are."  
Clara slowly nodded, and Sora led them into the living room. Kurt looked up as they came in, and they stared for a moment, but said nothing. Clara sat on an overstuffed chair next to Eric, Alucard in another chair, Sora sat next to Kurt, and Lilith and Mazier stood.  
"I know I shouldn't have left the house," Kurt said softly, "I heard an explosion and came out to see what it was, and then... well, Mazier and Sora know."  
"I don't get it," Eric said, "Why do you look like this?"  
"This is who I am. That watch that I was wearing before I got shot was a hologram projector. It made me look normal. I'm a freak, you can all say it."  
"We're all freaks," Clara said. Kurt looked towards her, puzzled. Clara sighed heavily, thinking of what to say. Finally, she continued.  
"Kurt, we're not who you think we are, either. As you can see, Transylvania is home to demons. You were attacked by one. We were hunting it. We're all demon hunters."  
"I don't understand..." Kurt confessed.  
Eric nodded, "That's understandable," he then stood. "Kurt, have you ever heard of Dracula?"  
Kurt nodded. "In movies and stories..."  
"Alright, well, he's real. My family, the Belmont clan, has been fighting Dracula for hundreds of years. We're hunters; it's what we do. We protect Transylvania from the threat. Dracula last appeared in 1999."  
"Did you kill him?"  
Eric froze, looking hurt. "...No. I had an older brother, Julius. As tradition in my family goes, whenever Dracula rises, siblings must compete against each other to decide who will go to face him. Needless to say, I lost. Julius went to the Hakuba Shrine in Japan, and asked if they could come to Transylvania to help, getting some crazy idea that they could seal Dracula inside of the solar eclipse that year. He and the priests there made an agreement that Julius would go into Dracula's castle, and before the castle collapsed after he defeated him, the Hakuba family would seal his castle inside the eclipse. It worked, and fortunately, Dracula should never rise again. However... when Julius returned, he had lost his memory. He didn't know his name, who he was, anything. He didn't even recognize me as his little brother. So, we tried to restore his memory, but it didn't work. He left Transylvania in an attempt to find out who he was. Ever since then, I've guarded Transylvania in his memory."  
Eric leaned against a wall, and nodded towards Clara. "Your turn."  
Clara nodded, and cleared her throat. "My family, the Belnades Clan, is just like Eric's. Our families are close allies. We're hunters as well, but we use magic. We're witches, as you would call it. My family met Eric's in 1476 when Trevor Belmont saved Sypha Belnades. Sypha was the only one of our entire family to obtain the exclusive status of Mage, the highest rank in sorcery. I left home about three years ago, for safety reasons, and the Belmonts found me a home. My parents live in the Belnades Manor in Walachia, along with the rest of my family. Sora?"  
"I'll pass to Maz and Lil," Sora murmured.  
"Lilith and I are vampires," Mazier said nonchalantly. Kurt's eyes immediately widened. Mazier chuckled. "Don't worry, we don't drink human blood. Lilith's just over two hundred years old, I'm close to three thousand. I got involved with the Belmonts around Sonia Belmont's time; Lilith was raised by Maria Renard, who was related to the Belmonts through her sister's marriage to Richter Belmont. Al?"  
Alucard straightened. "I am a Dunpeal, half vampire, half human. My mother was an herbal healer, my father was Dracula. I fathered the son of Sonia Belmont, thus the entire Belmont line is descendants of Dracula, and that is why Eric calls me his grandfather."  
"We've all seen worse than you, Kurt," Sora told him, "So, like Clara said, you may be a freak, but so are the rest of us. It's not everyday you see witches, vampires, and vampire hunters."  
Kurt nodded slowly, "I understand..."  
Clara smiled. "Besides, I think you look cuter this way!"  
  
*  
  
Everyone but Eric went back home, Clara insisting that Eric stay. Sora was in her room, sitting on her bed, staring at a wall. She never imagined that Kurt would have a big secret like that... and Clara was right: he DID look better like that.  
A knock sounded on her door. "Come in," Sora called out. Kurt came in slowly, closing the door behind him. Sora looked in his direction. "Hey."  
"Why didn't you want to talk downstairs?" Kurt asked, sitting next to her on the bed. Sora shrugged. "I didn't want to say it in front of everyone..."  
"Could you tell me now?"  
"Why are you so eager to know?"  
"I just want to know why you seem so cold towards others..."  
Sora looked away, hugging her knees to her chest. "I'm like Alucard; a Dunpeal. I have no idea who my parents are, but I was found as an infant by a vampire and raised as one."  
"What was your parent's name?"  
"His name was Lucian Tonitrus. He was a good man, but his training was harsh. He wanted to make me a perfect warrior, which meant he tortured me until my pain sensors were dulled, but not completely gone; he wanted to make sure I could feel if I was hurt badly or not. Eventually the training turned to punishment if I didn't meet his expectations. He would beat me constantly, and when I reached puberty, he expressed a sexual interest towards me. I couldn't help but let him molest me, but when he came to me two years ago and tried to rape me, I fled. All the doors were locked, so I had to throw myself out of a window, almost breaking my legs. I ran, but he caught up with me in the suburbs and stabbed me in my side, and told me that I would die where I lay, and left. Clara and Eric found me before I bled to death and helped me. I stayed with Clara, and ever since then, I've been scared of men, so I put on the tough attitude so they'll stay away from me."  
Kurt nodded, and looked at the floor. "How long did it take you to warm up to Eric?"  
"About a year, I believe. I hated him about six months after I met him because he and Clara had a fight and Clara came home heartbroken. I comforted her, and realized that I had feelings for her. I never really acted on them, but she knows."  
"Are you really gay?"  
Sora shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know what I am. I suppose I'm bisexual at least, but I've never really met a man that I've been attracted to, at least not yet."  
"How badly did your father beat you?"  
"He broke my legs once because I tried to run away... but then he apologized sincerely about it and didn't make me train for a year, but he would still punish me if I went against his orders."  
They stayed silent for a long time, before Sora spoke up again. "Kurt?"  
"Mm?"  
"If I showed you something, would you promise not to act like a perverted teenage boy?"  
Kurt looked at her like she was crazy, stuttering with his answer for a second before saying, "Uh... yeah."  
Sora turned around and grabbed the bottom of her shirt, pulling it over her head. Kurt grimaced, seeing the multiple scars on her back. "Mein Gott..." he whispered.  
"This is how badly my father beat me..." Sora murmured, then turned back to him, moving her hair away from her shoulder and shoved away her bra strap, showing him the deep bite wound Lucian had given her the night she tried to escape. "He gave me this to really remember him..."  
"So it's a good thing Clara found you or you'd be dead, huh?" Kurt wondered aloud, then looked at her. "So this is why you're so harsh towards everyone?"  
Sora nodded, and pulled her shirt back on. "How's your wrist?"  
"Better than it was."  
"So... hey, one question."  
"Ja?"  
"How did you disappear like that earlier? Did the demon do it?"  
Kurt creaked a smile. "No, I did that... I have the ability to teleport."  
"Were you born with the ability?"  
Kurt nodded. "I don't know who my real parents are, either. I was adopted by a family in Germany who found me. I didn't discover that I could teleport until I was a teenager. I managed to be one of the first to get a hologram watch to hide my true appearance and it allowed me to be normal..."  
"We'll fix it, Kurt... I gathered up its remains... hey, you need to get to bed; it's getting late. And don't worry about what you look like, alright? At least you're human."  
Kurt nodded, and stood. "'Night, Sora."  
"'Night, Fuzzy."  
She watched him leave, and lay down, not bothering to pull the covers over herself. She closed her eyes, about to drift off to sleep when she felt that magic presence again. She remembered that Clara said her nightmares were magic-induced, and immediately leapt out of bed, running out of her room and towards Clara's room, about to enter it when a strong magic slammed against her, throwing her back. She could smell fear. Dammit, Clara was having another nightmare!  
She clumsily climbed to her feet and hurried to the guest room where Eric was staying, pounding on the door and opening it. "Eric, get up!"  
Eric was sitting up as Sora opened the door, almost grabbing his sword to attack her out of instinct. Seeing it was her, he sheathed the sword and got out of bed. "What is it?"  
"It's Clara. I can't get into her room. She's in trouble."  
Eric's eyes immediately widened in fear after she finished. He retrieved his whip and took his sword with him as he and Sora ran for Clara's room. Sora stopped him before he tried to break the door down. "There's some sort of magic seal. It's impossible to get in."  
Eric let out a frustrated scream, turning around, yelping in surprise when he saw Kurt. "What are you doing here?"  
"What's wrong?" Kurt asked. Sora thought for a moment, an idea popping into her head.  
"Wait," she said, walking over to him. "You said you can teleport, right?" she winked at Eric, who only quirked an eyebrow, as if saying "What're you up to, Sora?"  
Kurt nodded slowly. "Yeah..."  
"Can you take me into Clara's room?"  
"What? What's going on?"  
"I can't explain. Please, this is important."  
Kurt thought for a moment, unsure of what was happening, but nodded. "Yes, I can." He approached Sora, who looked at Eric, and took his sword. "I'll be back."  
Eric was about to protest, but Kurt had put his arms around Sora and with a sharp 'bamf!' sound, he teleported himself and Sora to her room.  
They were quickly greeted by sounds of someone chanting, obviously male. The entire room was sealed with magic, so Kurt's teleporting was the only way to get them in and out.  
Sora ran over to Clara, seeing her mumbling counter spells in her sleep, trying to ward off the evil. In her hand was the locket of Elizabeth Bartley. Was whoever who was doing this the same person who had sent that letter to Clara?  
She grabbed Clara and handed her to Kurt. "Take her out of here then come back for me."  
Kurt obeyed, holding Clara and teleporting out. Sora looked around, trying to look for some source of the magic, but found none. Kurt came back quickly and grabbed her, taking her out of the room. Suddenly, the magic was gone.  
Eric was holding Clara tightly, a hand holding her face as he talked to her. "Clara? Clara, please, wake up!" She was still whispering the spell, as if she were still being haunted. She was in a raging fever; her body was shaking. "Sora, what the hell's going on?"  
Sora grabbed the locket from her hand and threw it aside and took Clara. "I think I can help. Don't panic; I know what I'm doing."  
Kurt stood back and Eric watched in fear for his girlfriend's life as Sora gently moved her hair aside from her face and neck, exposing her throat. Eric's eyes widened. "Sora, what..."  
Sora bent down, and sank her fangs into her friend's flesh, sucking her blood, rich with dark magic. Whoever it was, cursed her, or was trying to. She didn't swallow any of the liquid, else risk her own sanity, but kept drawing out the blood until it was all gone, shoving Clara back into Eric's arms as she ran for the bathroom to spit out the blood and rinse her mouth out. Clara immediately woke up in a cold sweat, screaming and writhing in a horrified fit. Kurt and Eric quickly restrained her, with Kurt holding her legs together to keep her from kicking while Eric held her arms with one hand and placed a hand over her mouth, shushing her and calming her down. She eventually stopped moving, although her breathing came out in ragged gasps. Sora came out and knelt next to her, looking into Clara's eyes. "Clara, what happened?"  
Eric moved his hand away so she could speak, and Clara squirmed again until she sat up, clinging to him. "Someone was putting a curse on me, telling me to kill everyone in this house and take the locket to a certain location. I-I don't recall where... God, I'm scared..."  
Sora nodded. "I know..." she poked her thumb with a fang and dropped the blood onto the bite wound on Clara's neck, covering the bite completely so no one would notice outside of their home. Clara looked to the side, seeing the locket on the floor, and timidly reached out, grabbing it and holding it close, afraid that someone could come in and take it at any moment.  
"I honestly think it's Taryn," Sora told her.  
"He's not that powerful, Sora... he wouldn't know how to control minds..."  
"Who's Taryn?" Kurt asked. "An old boyfriend?"  
Eric scoffed. "He wishes." He gently stroked Clara's hair, rocking her back and forth. "It's obvious none of us are going back to sleep tonight... what should we do?"  
"I'd say ask Alucard about it," Sora suggested, "He's good with magic stuff."  
Kurt looked around. "I'd make sure that Clara was never in a room by herself... but that's just me, I've never even heard of this stuff before, so don't pay attention to me."  
Eric narrowed his eyes in thought. "Hey, that's actually a good idea. Whoever's doing this is sealing off rooms, so if someone's with her, they could try and stop it."  
"Yeah, but the rooms are sealed on the inside and outside. No one comes in, no one goes out," Sora noted. "Unless Kurt wants to be her permanent babysitter... or we get walkie-talkies, but who knows if they can cancel out those signals."  
"I don't care," Clara said softly. "I just don't want whoever's doing this to come back..."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
All four of them had stayed out in the living room for the rest of the night. Clara had fallen asleep on the couch and, thankfully, didn't have another nightmare. The sun was rising before everyone had calmed down. Sora started the coffee, and the gurgling pot woke Clara. She grumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "Ugh... coffee?"  
Eric chuckled, and moved over to the couch, sitting next to her and putting her glasses on her. He kissed the side of her head. "Yeah, it's being made. How are you feeling?"  
Clara shrugged, leaning on him. "Better... I need coffee, though."  
Kurt looked at the golden locket sitting on the coffee table. "What's so special about that?" he asked.  
Sora brought Clara her cup of coffee and sat in the armchair. Clara sipped at it, gazing at the locket. "It holds the spirit of Elizabeth Bartley, the bloodthirsty niece of Dracula; Alucard's cousin. I found it while I was swimming in England a few years ago. Coincidentally, it was in a lake where Bartley's castle had fallen, and I found it while searching for diving rods my brother threw into the water. Y'know, the kind that sink and you have to dive for them?"  
"Who's looking for it?"  
Clara shook her head. "I don't know. All of her ties are either dead or out of Romania. Her son and lover left after her death. The last time she was killed before this, an amateur witch, Drolta Tzuentes, opened the locket like an idiot, knowing who it belonged to and everything, and released her. That was in 1915. She resurrected Dracula in 1917, and then she was killed by Eric Lecarde, and Dracula was slain by John Morris, a relative of the Belmont family and the founder of our High School. When I found it, I took it to my mother, who immediately recognized it and was relieved I hadn't opened it. She put a spell on it so that Bartley wouldn't be resurrected so easily, and I've kept it ever since."  
She drank her coffee quickly, and before she asked for another cup, Eric took it and went to the kitchen, getting it for her as well as a cup for himself.  
"Whoever's doing this is obviously really skilled in the Arts," Sora said, "I haven't picked up any kind of trail; they're doing this from a long ways away."  
Eric sat back down and gave Clara her cup. He leaned back and was about to speak when a knock on the door sounded, startling everyone. Sora sighed. "I'll get it," she said, and stood. She opened the door, looking up at the visitor, a man who looked to be in his late twenties, clad in dark clothing, had dark brown hair, and wore a wide-brimmed hat.  
"Clara Belnades?" he asked. Sora looked back into the living room. "Yo, it's for you."  
Clara stood slowly and came to the door. "Yes?"  
The man nodded his head in greeting. "Forgive me for troubling you so early, but I've been hired by your parents."  
Clara's eyes narrowed, suspicious. "Hired you? Excuse me?"  
"I am a hunter; call me D if you must call me by anything, and your parents have hired me to hunt down and destroy a certain threat to you," he told her.  
"What kind of threat?" Sora asked. Clara nodded. "What she said."  
D glanced at them both as Eric and Kurt slowly came into view. "Miss Belnades, I've been hired to hunt down and kill your older brother, Taryn Belnades." 


	6. Chapter 5

-CHAPTER 5-  
  
Clara's face paled as the hunter spoke her brother's name, and stopped breathing when he said he was sent to kill him. She quickly composed herself, swallowed, and stood to the side. "Please, come in."  
D nodded and took his hat off before coming in. Sora moved out of his way, her mood changing from mellow to hostile in an instant. Remember, she hated strangers; especially male ones. She took note of the long sword strapped to his back; this guy obviously hunted demons, and he himself seemed inhuman.  
Clara closed the door and came back into the living room. "Have a seat," she offered, which he declined. She twiddled her thumbs, looking around nervously. "May I ask you why my parents hired you and what did my brother do?"  
Kurt approached Sora and whispered, "Taryn's her brother?"  
"Long story," Sora murmured under her breath.  
D straightened, shifting his weight. "I'm sure you are aware of why he was exiled from the Belnades Manor?"  
"Yes, I am," Clara replied.  
"Unfortunately, I do not know the details as well as I would like to. Perhaps you could enlighten me?"  
Clara nodded quickly. "Yes, of course. Um... well, other than what he did, Taryn's a wonderful young man, he was a good brother to me and was always there to help me because... well, I don't know if you've heard or not, but I wasn't exactly the most skilled witch at the manor, and he wasn't the best warlock, either. My parents were both really concerned about us, and wanted to find out if there was anything holding us back."  
"And?"  
Out of the corner of her eye, Clara could see Sora shift uncomfortably, and Eric look away. She sighed heavily, and continued. "Well, my mother was one of the stronger witches, and could look into people's minds without hurting them, so she decided to look into our minds and find out if there was anything holding us back.  
"She found nothing wrong with me; I was trying my hardest and all that I wanted to do was please my parents, but with Taryn, it was the same except for one thought sticking out in his mind, and that was..." she trailed off, and moved to sit down. "Sorry."  
"Clara, you don't really have to say all of this," Sora told her. Clara shook her head. "No, I have to..."  
"Taryn's mind was really dark, Mother told me, and filled with thoughts of me. At first, Mother thought it was just worries of whether or not I would become a great witch in the family, but she dug deeper, and found... prominent sexual thoughts of me. Apparently, after he reached puberty he had become attracted to me. Mother told me that that's slightly normal when boys first start adolescence, but they had continued, and he was having reoccurring incestuous fantasies of me.  
"Naturally, she became worried and told Father, who took immediate action. He locked half of Taryn's powers, the more powerful of his magic, and isolated him from me. I had no idea of any of this, so I snuck out of bed at night to see him, always worried about him, as he was of me. I couldn't undo the spell that held his door shut, but there was a little window at the top of his door that he would open when I came, and I wasn't tall enough to reach it, so I had to grab a chair to stand on. The first night I came, he was shocked, and asked me if I knew what our parents had done to him. I told him I didn't, which was the truth. He made me leave, and I waited another week before I saw him again, and he smiled when I came, reaching his hand through the little door to touch my cheek. I asked him why our parents locked him away, and he told me that it was because they wanted him to stop helping me, because they loved me and wanted me to learn on my own, since a true witch only takes as little help as possible, and he had been helping me too much. Foolishly, I believed him.  
"Like an even bigger fool, I asked my parents about Taryn the next day, and they refused to talk about it. I told them that I had been going to see him. They scolded me immediately, but then calmed down after they realized that they hadn't told me about him, but they then told me what he had been doing. I felt bad immediately, like he had been trying to rape me every time he saw me. Mother read his mind again, finding the thoughts to be more dominating in his mind.  
"They took him out of isolation, restored his powers, and ordered for his exile. They gave him and me one hour under supervision to say farewell. I was scared of him at first, and it hurt him badly. I eventually approached him and he hugged me, apologizing again and again, saying that he never meant to hurt me. He looked at me, and took the locket into his fingers, which I had been wearing that day, and smiled, twirling the charm. He told me that he'd come back for me someday, and that I should never forget or lose the locket, since he was there with me when I found it. He told me he loved me, and kissed my forehead. Then he left."  
Sora's eyes never left D as he listened. His face was entirely emotionless. His voice was monotonous. His attitude reminded her of Alucard. "Did he ever try to contact you after that?" he asked.  
Clara shrugged. "He sent me letters, but my parents never allowed me to read them. After a couple of months, they became worried as the letters became more frequent, and they ordered that I be released from the manor. I was frightened, afraid that I had done something terrible and that they were kicking me out, but my oldest brother, Viktor, the most successful of our parents' children, told me that they were doing this to protect me. Mother and Father had contacted the Belmonts here in Transylvania, and found this home near the estate. They immediately bought it and told me that Taryn would never find me here, and to never talk to him if he did. Currently, my family and the Belmonts are taking care of the expenses for this house. That's all I have to say."  
"Yeah, so you can go and find Taryn now," Sora spat venomously. Clara just frowned. D seemed indifferent.  
The hunter closed his eyes and lowered his head. "I regret to inform you that your location is no longer a secret to Taryn." He reached into his cloak and held up a small envelope. "I encountered him just yesterday. He fled, but this note fell from his person. You may want to read it." He handed it to Clara. She took out the letter and read it aloud:  
  
Dear Clara,  
Your suffering will cease soon, when you give me the locket. I'm watching you, and I will come for you before the week ends. You and I shall be together again, and with the locket, we will obtain perfection. Please do not make me resort to force to obtain you. Come quietly, and neither your beloved Belmont sweetheart, Dunpeal roommate, or even your new blue friend shall be harmed.  
I will be waiting every night at the designated meeting place I informed you about in my first letter for you to come along with the locket. Do not let your friends help you. I want you alone.  
  
T.  
  
That was the first time her sender ever signed the letter. She put the paper down and looked up at D. "Where was he when you got this?"  
"He was near the ruins of Dracula's castle. Apparently he's been hiding out in the underground caverns of the castle, at least in the few rooms that haven't completely collapsed from the castle's last fall."  
Sora cleared her throat, came over to Clara and looked her in the eye. She looked like she was about to scold her for something, but instead, the Dunpeal lightly smacked her upside her head, and straightened. Clara rubbed her head, grimacing. "What was that for?"  
Sora stared blankly at her. "Told ya so. I told you it was Taryn, but you didn't want to listen. It's been him that's given you the nightmares."  
"He couldn't have possibly gotten that powerful!"  
Kurt quirked an eyebrow in amusement. "...Sora, you should really get tested for multiple personality disorder..."  
"On the contrary," D interrupted, "Taryn's magic has increased surprisingly. He has obtained the status of Sorcerer. I would not attempt to go near him without extreme caution."  
"Sorcerer? That's like... one level away from mage, right?" Eric wondered out loud.  
Clara nodded. "Only Sypha's been able to obtain mage status..."  
"While our Clara is sitting here still at Witch status because she can't make an ice cube," Sora said dryly under her breath.  
Clara looked back at D. "I know this might not pertain to your job, but how are my parents and family? I haven't seen them in three years..."  
D's expression remained still, but she could see in his eyes that it wasn't good. Everyone was silent before D spoke again. "Your oldest brother, Viktor, is dead, as are about a fifth of your family. Your parents are safe. Taryn attacked the estate in order to find you, at first probably intending to take you and the locket, but when he found the place choked by your absence, he demanded where you were, and began killing until Viktor told him."  
Clara's eyes widened. Her own brother had told Taryn? "What happened?"  
"Taryn squeezed out as much information from him as possible... then killed him. After that, he left. That was when your parents hired me to hunt Taryn. They also told me that I am to watch over you in case he comes for you."  
Sora's eyes widened in disbelief, and she growled at him. "Hey, I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but Clara's safe here. She has a Belmont, two Dunpeals, and two Vampires protecting her, one of the Vampires who actually knew Sypha. Butt out."  
"Sora!" Clara spat.  
"What? How can we trust him? He comes in here, tells you your oldest brother, who is closer to Mage status than any other Belnades since Sypha has been, is dead, and that he needs to stay near you? Fuck that shit. He could be working for Taryn, for all we know, dammit."  
Clara shook her head, and said softly, "Taryn's extremely antisocial. He wouldn't ally himself with anyone. He even shunned our family."  
"He could've changed."  
"No..." Clara looked up at D. "What do you think I should do?"  
She held up a hand to silence Eric before he protested that she should go see Alucard and Mazier about this, and nodded to D. "Please, go ahead."  
"I wouldn't stay here. Even if you stay in a different room every night, even with someone with you, he could still haunt you. If I were in your position, I would leave. Do you have anywhere you could go?"  
"The estate has seventy guest rooms," Eric spoke up, "There's tons of room for Kurt, Sora, and Clara to come, and even you, if you say you're to stay close to Clara."  
Sora blinked and looked towards the Belmont. "Whose side are you on?" she asked in disbelief. Eric just shrugged. "Some Belmonts know a little magic, and there are all types of security there: magic barriers, security systems, electric fences, video surveillance, you name it, although I doubt video would help against magic..."  
"Would you feel safe there, Clara?" D asked her.  
Clara nodded confidently. "I would trust the Belmonts with my life any day, especially if Eric and Sora were with me."  
"Then I suggest you all pack your things and get out of here before nightfall when he attacks again." 


	7. Chapter 6

-CHAPTER 6-  
  
Eric had called Lilith to bring an SUV down from the estate to bring Clara, Sora, and Kurt's things as well as take them there. D refused the ride, saying he'd take his horse.  
"Who's the new guy?" Lilith asked.  
"A man. I hate him," Sora snarled.  
"Sora, you barely know him," Clara told her.  
"I don't care."  
Clara shook her head at her friend's attitude. "My parents hired him to look after me and to kill my brother..."  
"Sounds pretty serious," Lilith observed. Clara shrugged. She looked down at the locket, which hung around her neck. What would Taryn want with the locket?  
"What will you do about school? Taryn might come after you there, too," Kurt said. Clara nodded.  
"He could come after all of us just to get to me," she replied, "We'll all have to pull out for the rest of the semester. The school knows about Eric and me, and if we or anyone close to us is in danger, we'd have to pull out. This is the first time though."  
Kurt nodded in agreement; now that he knew what they all were, he understood the precautions they had to take to keep their loved ones safe. Throughout the entire ride to the estate, Kurt could see that Clara was in silent mourning for her family, but didn't express it.  
Sora twitched as she remembered something and turned in her seatbelt to look at Kurt. "Oh, again, don't worry about your looks at the estate. Alucard is the son of Dracula and he's living with the Belmonts; how worse can you be?"  
Kurt grinned. "Point taken."  
Lilith entered the security code at the gate and entered, pulling up and letting everyone out. Everyone grabbed what they could of their luggage, and Eric and Lilith grabbed what was left over. D was right behind them, and Eric said he'd send someone out to take his horse to the stables and to just leave it out next to the car for now.  
Alucard came out to greet everyone, looking worriedly at Clara. "Is everyone alright?"  
"We're fine, we just need to stay here until this is all over. That okay?" Clara asked.  
"Yes, of course, tell me about it later, until then, all of you get settled," he looked up to see D, and his sympathetic expression faded. "...Except him. He is not welcome."  
"I'm liking you more everyday, Al," Sora told him as she went into the estate.  
"You know each other?" Eric asked.  
Alucard narrowed his eyes. "Unfortunately."  
"He has to come. My parents hired him to watch over me. I'd be breaking my parents' wishes by turning him away. Please, Alucard, despite whatever past you've had, let him in," Clara told him.  
Eric nodded. "Yeah, and besides, you're not in charge of this estate, and since Julius was the head Belmont before he left, that makes me next in line. I say he stays."  
Lilith grimaced as he said that, said nothing more, and went inside. Alucard and Eric exchanged glares for a moment before Alucard left and went back inside.  
Kurt swallowed, having watched all of this silently. "Um... oh, forget it, I'll just shut up," he murmured, trudging inside.  
Eric looked back at D and nudged his head towards the estate. "Come on in; don't mind Gramps."  
  
*  
  
That evening, everyone had settled in. Clara was still afraid, even with the intense security. She was afraid Taryn could have followed them, and would attack while they all slept. Mazier and Lilith were out, but promised not to go too far, Sora was in her room, Alucard was in the library, and she didn't know where D was. Eric had offered him a room, but he had declined the offer. Kurt was probably already asleep in his room, which Clara couldn't blame him; the day had been more than hectic.  
Mazier hadn't even met D before he left; Clara just hoped that there wasn't any surprise confrontation when he returned.  
She jumped when a knock sounded on the door, but calmed down, exhaled heavily, and shoved her glasses up on her nose. "Come in."  
"You're not getting dressed for bed, are you?" a voice called out.  
Clara smiled; at least Eric learned to ask before he came in. She didn't want to go into detail on that. "No, I'm not."  
He came in slowly, closing the door behind him. "Hey... you look tired..."  
"I don't feel tired," she replied dryly. The side of Eric's mouth twitched a smile, and he moved over to hug her, letting her lean against him, murmuring gibberish into his chest, something she did whenever she was stressed. Sora got her into the habit.  
"I'm gonna sleep in the guest room just across from yours, so if anything goes bump in the night, just scream for me, alright?"  
Clara nodded, and looked up at him. "Why doesn't Alucard like D?"  
Eric shrugged. "I tried to talk about it, but Gramps wouldn't say anything, so I told him to lay off, and that he had a job to do, which is to make sure you're safe... I feel like I'm being fired."  
She giggled. "I think Sora feels that way, too. Don't worry, we three are the defenders of Transylvania; nothing's gonna break us up. Not even my mean ol' brother."  
"Why is it you can keep a cheerful attitude even when there's something coming for you?"  
Clara shrugged. "I know people will be there to rescue me."  
Eric reached up and touched her cheek. "I won't be a failure for you, Clara..." He then leaned down and softly kissed her, feeling Clara instantly relax as she responded, putting her arms around his neck and opening her mouth slightly.  
Another knock sounded on the door and Clara and Eric instantly broke away from each other. Sora came in, leaning against the doorframe. "I need to go back to the house."  
Clara's eyebrows pinched together in disbelief. "What? Why?"  
"I forgot my damn cigarettes."  
Clara and Eric both rolled their eyes. Clara folded her arms over her chest. "So buy another pack."  
Sora shook her head defiantly. "Fuck no! I have seven packs hidden all over your house back there, and they all cost money! I'm not leaving them behind!"  
Clara stared blankly at her. "...You've been hiding cigarettes in my house?"  
Sora scoffed. "Yeah, I have, and now I'm going to get them. Later." With that, she left. Eric and Clara both stared at the empty doorway before looking at each other.  
"Think we should send someone after her?" Clara asked.  
"She's asking for trouble; let her get it," Eric replied. Clara just shrugged.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Using the spare key Clara had given her, Sora unlocked the house and went in. She didn't plan on retrieving them all, just maybe about three packs. Clara and Eric may have thought them trivial, and Sora could quit with no problem at any time, but she liked smoking in tense moments. Especially around other people; it gave them something else to think about.  
  
She shoved her possessions into her jacket pocket and went to check in Clara's room to see if she had forgotten anything. She had the locket with her, Sora was sure of that, but what about any spell books or family things that she had forgotten? She walked over to Clara's bookshelf, scanning it over. All of the books here were spells that Clara had mastered. Sora found it humorous that Clara could be at Sorceress status, but she wasn't only because she couldn't master the ice spell, which Sora thought was a load of bull.  
Finding nothing, Sora began to head downstairs and out the door. A man was passing across the sidewalk outside, and stopped when he saw Sora.  
"Excuse me," he said, "is Clara Belnades here?"  
Sora stopped on the front steps, and folded her arms over her chest. "No, she's out with a friend right now. Can I help you?"  
"Oh, I was just absent from school today and came to ask what our assignment was."  
"What class?"  
"Algebra 2."  
Sora looked him over; he could pass as a teenager, but Sora could tell he was at least 20 years old. He was dressed casually, shoulder-length dark brown hair tied back in a low ponytail. And he was a liar.  
She walked to the sidewalk and began to walk back to the estate. "Sorry, don't know you; I have every class with Clara and I've never seen you before. Nice try."  
Warning bells should have been ringing in her head, but she couldn't hear them.  
"Oh," he said, "You're the Dunpeal, eh?"  
Sora immediately stopped, turning around to face him, the corner of her lip raised into a snarl. "Stay away from her, Taryn."  
"Wow, so you're not as stupid as I thought," he replied. Sora was about to answer to that, but he extended a hand, and suddenly Sora was brought forward, right up to him. She couldn't move her arms or legs.  
He reached up and took her chin in his hand. "You really do love my baby sister, don't you?"  
"Go to Hell."  
"Been there."  
"Then they'll welcome you back."  
Taryn smirked, and something that felt like a hot, wet towel smacked against Sora, sending her to the ground, and she had to brace herself or else get her head smashed open.  
"Here's a word of advice," he began, "Don't stand between my little sister and me. And tell the hunter that my beloved parents sent to stay away also. I don't know what Clara's told you, but you don't want to fuck with me, Halfbreed."  
Sora lifted a hand up to her head, pressing her palms against her temple. That attack hurt like hell; D wasn't kidding when he told them Taryn had become stronger, and Sora felt that this wasn't even his full power.  
She stumbled to her feet quickly and launched herself at him, roaring, but was thrown back as she hit the magic barrier he put up around himself. It was more powerful than his last attack, and she hit the hard concrete, scratching up any skin and clothing that she landed on. She didn't cry out, lest let Taryn know she was in pain, which was probably what he wanted. Truthfully, Lucian had put her through a lot more pain than this could ever hope to be, but dammit, it still hurt.  
Taryn raised an eyebrow as she managed to stand again, even though she had sprained both her right knee and ankle. "Tough one, aren't you?"  
"I've had worse." She ran at him again, but this time, before he attacked her from the front, she jumped up, flipping over his head and landing right behind him, happy there was no barrier. She kicked his legs out from him with her sprained leg, pulled the small dagger she always kept with her out of her boot, and was at Taryn's throat before he could blink. "Didn't your mother ever tell you to cover your ass?"  
Another mental attack sent her flying into Clara's yard, kept her in the air for a moment, and then slammed her down. This time she cried out as her spine cracked against the hard dirt and grass. Taryn stood and dusted off his back. "Yes, and she also told me to never hit a lady."  
Another attack made Sora feel like she was under a gigantic boot and she was the bug being crushed. She felt her bones straining under his mind; she couldn't move. She knew Taryn wouldn't hesitate to kill her, but for some reason, the pressure stopped after a few seconds. She weakly lifted her head to look at him.  
Taryn slowly approached her. "Where is Clara?"  
"Piss off."  
He smiled calmly. "I'm sorry you feel that way... but I won't torture you any longer. I'll be watching this house, Dunpeal; anyone who comes back here will have to face me until Clara comes to me with the locket either here, or at my hideout, which I'm sure the hunter told you about."  
Taryn then turned and left, leaving Sora there. She was helpless now, and couldn't move. He made sure to break her right leg, but sprained her left one, making it near impossible for her to move. Sora squeezed her eyes shut, keeping back tears. "You'd better watch over her, D..."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Everyone had fallen asleep after Sora left, but kept the gate's intercom on in case she came back and couldn't get in. When Clara woke up the next morning, the first thing she did was go to Sora's room to see if she was back. "Sora?"  
She wouldn't have been surprised to not see Sora in her room back at her house, but here, Sora hated moving around the estate, claiming she got lost easily. Clara knit her eyebrows together, and scanned the estate. No Sora.  
Clara hurried downstairs, seeing Eric and Kurt. "Hey, did any of you see or hear Sora come back?"  
Kurt shook his head. "I thought she would have come back by now. Could she still be at the house?"  
"No," Clara replied, "she's too protective of me to stay away from me for an entire night, especially now..."  
"You want D and me to go see if she's still there anyway?" Eric offered.  
"That'd be nice, I want to talk to Alucard anyway about that demon we encountered the other night, if no one else has."  
Eric shook his head. "Nah, I don't think so. Anyway, I'm outta here; D's in the main hall, I'll grab him, and Gramps is in the library. Bye."  
"Be careful," Clara called after him as he left, grabbing his whip off of a table on the way.  
  
*  
  
"Silver Wing?" Alucard asked, closing his book. Clara nodded. "Yes, from what Mazier told us, he was stealing souls in a vampire nightclub. Have you ever heard of him?"  
Alucard narrowed his eyes, folding his arms across his chest. "Unfortunately, I do; I had an encounter with him just five years after I defeated my father."  
"What is he? He almost killed Kurt," she said, urging her head towards Kurt who sat in the chair next to her.  
Alucard sighed. "I'm surprised you survived your encounter, Miss Belnades; Silver Wing is the father of all Incubi and Succubi. He can take any human form, and steal souls with merely a display of physical affection. It does not surprise me that he was taking souls so easily."  
"Do you know his real name?"  
"Every demon and normal human calls him Silver Wing, but in reality, his name is Markus. Clara, take my advice, and urge Mazier to do so as well: Do not approach him again. He could kill every member of your team with ease, even Mazier. If you feel the need to approach him again, take me with you. I know one way that can defeat him," Alucard advised.  
Clara nodded slowly and headed towards the door. Kurt began to follow but stopped and turned around. "Alucard?"  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why do you hate D so much?"  
The room was quiet for a half minute before Alucard replied, "I do not wish to elaborate upon that, forgive me."  
Clara reached out and grabbed Kurt's arm. "C'mon, Fuzzy, let's go wait for Eric to come back."  
Walking out of the library and into the entrance hall, Clara heard Eric's car pull into the driveway quickly, followed by a quick car door slamming. Kurt looked like he was about to teleport outside to see what it was, but Clara put a hand on his shoulder. "Wait."  
Eric swung the front door open as D carried a barely-conscious Sora in. The first thing Eric did was shout for Mazier, Lilith, Alucard, or anyone as he hurried D to take Sora to the med bay. Kurt teleported to the library to get Alucard, and Clara ran after Eric and D. "What happened?"  
"We don't know; Sora hasn't said anything other than a protest that D was carrying her since we found her," Eric replied quickly. Clara ran ahead, opening the doors to the med bay, looking behind Eric to see Alucard and Lilith running to meet them. D laid Sora on one of the beds, and the first thing Clara did was feel her neck for a pulse, feeling a really weak one.  
"Sora?" Clara called loudly, putting a hand on her cheek. "Where was she?" she asked to Eric, not turning to look at him.  
A loud 'bamf' echoed through the bay and Kurt appeared, as worried as Clara. Lilith saw the swelling in Sora's right leg before anyone else and moved to get medicine and a splint.  
"She had moved off of the property of your house," Eric replied. "Dunno why, though..."  
Alucard touched her leg, pulling back instantly, as if he would break her. "Her leg is broken... she was attacked by magic, I can feel it. She needs to feed. How long has it been since her last feeding, Clara?"  
"About two or three weeks, and she fed off of me, she always does."  
"The magic in Clara's blood makes Sora heal faster," Eric explained to those who didn't understand.  
Clara didn't hesitate, reached onto Eric's person and pulled out one of his daggers before he could stop her. She slit the side of her hand just below her pinky finger, and held the wound over Sora's mouth, letting her blood drip onto her lips and tongue. Alucard grabbed a roll of gauze for Clara's hand when she was finished, and everyone waited. They wouldn't start treating her leg until they knew she had enough strength to begin healing on her own.  
Sora moved slightly, lapping at the blood. Clara lowered her hand to Sora's lips and she immediately began to suck on the wound.  
"Doesn't that hurt?" Kurt asked, a grimace on his face. Clara shook her head slowly.  
Sora stopped feeding after a little bit, and Clara pulled her hand back, and cleaned it before letting Alucard wrap it. Sora's eyes fluttered, slowly opening, looking around at everyone. Lilith moved to start treating her leg, tearing away her torn pant leg and injecting an anesthetic. Sora hissed at the sudden pain, and Clara moved back to hold her mouth shut as she started to scream as Lilith moved her leg, listening as the bones moved back into place, and put the splint on her, tightly, then went to get a knee and ankle brace for her left leg.  
"Wasn't that a little haphazardly done?" Kurt asked, worried.  
Lilith shook her head. "No, she'll start to heal immediately when her cell structure realizes that her bones are together again. She'll need to feed more frequently, though."  
Clara looked up towards Eric and D. "Did she say anything at all other than what you told me?"  
Eric shook his head. "The only thing she said when we found her was 'Taryn.'" 


	8. Chapter 7

-CHAPTER 7-  
  
Sora had fallen unconscious again shortly after Clara fed her, and woke up in the afternoon. She looked around, her eyes falling on Kurt. She groaned, lifting a hand weakly to rub her eyes. "How long have you been here?"  
"All night..." Kurt admitted, folding his arms on Sora's bedside and resting his chin on them. "We all voted that someone watch you, and... well, I haven't given up my shift."  
"Is Clara alright?"  
Kurt nodded, and slowly grabbed her hand. "How do you feel?"  
"Like shit."  
"You look like it," he agreed. Sora chuckled, rubbing her forehead with her palm.  
"All I remember is seeing Taryn, passing out, seeing Eric and D, muttering something about Taryn, complaining about D carrying me, passing out again, and then tasting Clara's blood."  
"We were all really worried... I thought you'd die..."  
"I've had worse. Where's Clara?"  
Kurt shrugged. "She's having some thinking time right now, and she's blaming herself for Taryn attacking you."  
Sora shook her head, and sat up on her elbows. "It's not her fault at all, she should know that." She looked down at both of her legs. "Dammit... I won't be able to walk for another few hours." She fell back on the hospital bed and groaned, taking the pillow out from under her head and placing it over her face.  
Kurt blinked a couple of times before reaching up and moving the pillow. "You really don't like staying in one place, do you?"  
"Gee, ya just noticed?"  
Kurt shrugged and sat up. Sora looked at him and tapped his shoulder. "Get to bed, dork."  
"Not tired."  
"Then stop worrying about me; get someone else to take over!"  
As if to encourage what Sora said, the door opened, but Sora's shoulders slumped when she saw who it was:  
D.  
"Kurt," he said, "Clara has requested that you see her."  
Sora sat up and grabbed Kurt. "Don't you dare leave me alone with him, dammit."  
Kurt moved her hands away. "Sorry, Sora. I'll be back later, though."  
"Kurt, wait!"  
"Bamf!" Sora growled to herself, and waved the cloud of sulfur-like smoke away from her. She looked over at D. "What do you want?"  
"Clara wishes to speak with everyone. When she's done with Eric, Kurt, Mazier, and Lilith, she will come down to talk to you. Until then, Clara has asked that I make sure you remain in bed," he answered, with that goddamn monotonous tone in his voice that Sora hated. Lucian used that tone when he was about to beat her.  
Sora turned on her side, away from D, and pulled the blanket up to her shoulders. "I suppose Clara's told you why I'm not exactly friendly to you, eh?"  
"Yes, she has."  
"Clara has enough protection; she doesn't need some bounty hunter to help her."  
"Is that Clara saying that, or you?"  
That shut Sora up. She growled deep in her throat, and sat up. "Who the fuck do you think you are, anyway? Alucard obviously hates you, and Alucard has damn good judgment, even for the son of Dracula! How can we trust you?" She'd wanted to say that whenever she got alone with D.  
D stared blankly at her while she glared at him. They were both silent for a while before Sora said, "Answer me!"  
"You'll have to find out for yourself," D replied softly. "As for my past with Alucard... just like you, I have a hard time trusting people with my secrets."  
Sora scoffed. "Oh, great, a pissing contest to see how long we can hold secrets from the other."  
D blinked slowly in disbelief. "If you wish to call it that..."  
"Ah, shut up."  
  
Clara slowly descended the steps that led to the med bay, her hand reaching out to touch the handle to open the door but then she stopped herself. Sora wouldn't like what she had to say one bit, and Clara knew that. Still... Clara shouldn't have let Sora leave last night, and she felt guilty ever since Eric and D came back with her. Everyone else she told was disappointed, but said they would help her along the way.  
She reached up and clutched the locket which hung around her neck, twirling the gold chain with her thumb. She squeezed her eyes shut and reached for the doorknob again, hesitating again, but then she grasped it, and opened it slowly. "Sora? You awake?"  
Sora looked up, and D left the room. Clara came in and closed the door, then hurried over to her bed and hugged her tight. "God, I was so worried about you," she murmured. Sora returned the embrace. "Hey, kiddo, I'm fine."  
Clara pulled back and looked at her. "How are you feeling?"  
"Better. What is this that D said you had to tell me?"  
Clara fell silent, and sat down in the chair next to the bed. Sora narrowed her eyes, concerned. "Clara?"  
Clara sighed heavily and began, "I was thinking really heavily about this last night... and..."  
"Yes?"  
"I've..." her voice faltered, "I'm going to give the locket to Taryn."  
Sora's eyes widened and she gripped the sheets beneath her. "...What? Clara, you can't!"  
"If I don't, he'll just keep hurting everyone."  
"Think how much he can hurt the world if he gets that locket!"  
Clara shook her head. "The spell Mother put on this locket is too strong; Taryn won't be able to open it. I'm confident in that."  
"I'm not."  
"I'm going tonight... everyone will be with me. I'll be safe."  
Sora sighed heavily, shaking her head slowly. "I don't believe so... I'll be able to walk by then, sure, but... Clara, don't go to him."  
"He could have followed Eric and D back to the estate, and then both my family and the Belmonts would be in danger. I won't have that."  
"Clara..." Sora trailed off and looked away; she couldn't convince her. Taryn would hurt her if she came to him, she just knew he would. She felt Clara's arms wrap around her in a tight hug that she lightly returned. She didn't want to lose her best friend...  
"I'm coming with you tonight," Sora finally said, "I don't care if I'll be able to walk or not; I'm not going to let you go near him without me."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
That evening, no one was in any sort of high spirits. Sora had started to use her legs about an hour ago, using Kurt as a crutch in order to limp to the library where everyone was meeting. Eric was standing behind Clara with his arms around her waist, his whip at his hip and his sword strung across his back, not to mention about five daggers, a crucifix- which Sora didn't see the need for; Taryn wasn't undead- and a few healing potions. Alucard stood near him with Mazier and Lilith; all had their swords, even Mazier, who now preferred guns. Alucard had donned his armor, and surely he had a lot of magical spells tucked away in his mind. D just had his sword. Clara had her staff gripped firmly in one of her hands, and the locket was around her neck.  
Mazier looked towards Sora as she came in with Kurt. "You gonna need a sword?"  
Sora just stared blankly at him. "What the hell do you think? I'll be fine in about half an hour. Gimme the sword."  
Lilith walked over to her and strapped the sword across her back before asking D, "Are you sure he's living in the ruins of Dracula's castle?"  
D nodded in response. "Granted, he's quite a ways underground... I've never followed him, so I wouldn't know what rooms he could be using."  
"Clara," Lilith said, "are you planning on meeting him near the ruins?"  
Clara nodded quickly and leaned back on Eric. Sora shifted her weight and glanced at Kurt. "You coming?"  
"I suppose..." he replied slowly, as if unsure of himself.  
"Your teleporting could prove useful if we get caught in a sticky situation," Sora noted.  
"How well can you walk, Sora?" Clara asked. Sora shrugged. "Well enough, I'm just taking it easy until we get there."  
Alucard then spoke up. "Clara, if your brother is indeed as powerful as D has specified, you may not want to approach him with all of us nearby. Go ahead of us, and give a sort of signal in case things do not go as planned. Remember, he wanted you alone."  
Clara nodded, reaching up and touching the locket's chain. "Well... I suppose we should leave now, then... just get this over with. Remember everyone; he probably can't do anything with the locket."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Clara abandoned her friends inside of the Forest of Silence, where they would hopefully be safe. The ruins were so close, but Clara approached them slowly. She wanted to see her brother so badly, but he hurt Sora, and she doubted her trust in him.  
Coming closer to the ruins, Clara could feel his presence; it was tremendous. D hadn't been lying; he had gotten extremely powerful. She kept her own aura dimmed, and her steps sped up slightly.  
When she reached her destination, she looked around, feeling Taryn's presence, but not seeing him. She swallowed, and gripped her staff with one hand, the locket with the other. "Taryn?" she called out. A cold wind blew across the ruins, making Clara shiver, and she called out again, "Taryn? I brought the locket..."  
"But you didn't come alone."  
Clara yelped, and spun around, finding Taryn directly behind her. She looked up at him, and calmed down. He certainly looked different since the last time she had seen him; his dark brown hair had grown just below his shoulders, and his features took on more of an appearance of their father. He was wearing his warlock's robe, his own staff in his left hand, a large red orb clasped in a claw-like object, the staff itself about five and a half feet long, made of a metallic material.  
"Hello, Taryn," she said softly.  
"And to you, Sister," Taryn replied, "You betrayed my requests... why? You know I would never hurt you..."  
"Call it brainwashing if you want to," Clara began, "but from what I've heard, you're not exactly the same as you were the last time we saw each other..."  
"And neither are you, but I mean that in a good way."  
Clara stayed silent, and eventually settled her staff in the crook of her elbow so it didn't fall, reached behind her neck, and unclasped the locket from her neck. She held it from the chain in Taryn's direction. "This is what you wanted, yes?"  
Taryn smiled, and held his hand out. Clara dropped the locket into his palm, and quickly withdrew her hand. Taryn closed his fingers around it. "Good girl." He tucked it in his robes, and then reached his hand out, touching her cheek. She flinched slightly, but didn't protest.  
"What level are you in magic? I imagine you're a sorceress now."  
"Witch," Clara corrected. Taryn blinked, puzzled. Clara sighed, "I know spells in the sorceress rank, but I haven't been able to master the ice spell, so my rank hasn't been changed."  
Taryn nodded slowly, and let his hand fall down to his side. "I'm sorry to hear that."  
Clara looked away from him, and squeezed her eyes shut. "Why, Taryn?"  
"Why what?"  
"Why did you do that to our family? Mother, Father..."  
"They are still alive," Taryn replied, "Probably not in the best condition, but they're alive."  
"Why did you kill Viktor? He was the one that made Mother and Father proud..."  
Taryn cocked his head to one side. "And you lived in his shadow. Now that Viktor is dead, and our parents want me dead, you are the favorite, Clara. You are the best in their eyes."  
"I don't want to be the favorite if it's at the expense of other peoples' lives. Mother and Father know that I did my best, and they were proud of me for just that. You would have been a lot more powerful if..." she trailed off, not wanting to talk on that subject. She cringed, hearing him chuckle as she stopped talking.  
"My feelings for you haven't changed, my dear little sister. You think a little exile is going to keep me from thinking about you? It's only what caused me to come for you."  
"Why do you want the locket, Taryn? You can't open it."  
He glanced down at his robes where he had concealed the locket. "I have my reasons... but I won't need to act upon those reasons if you agree to something."  
"And what is that?"  
Taryn relaxed, and exhaled heavily. "I want you to come with me, Clara. We can go back to our family; if our parents see that you trust me, they'll let me come back."  
"What makes you think I trust you!" Clara suddenly snapped, moving a few feet away from him quickly. "You kill our eldest brother and half of our family, injure our parents, threaten to harm my friends, and expect me to come willingly?" she gripped her staff tightly, as if it were protecting her from him.  
Taryn's calm expression faded, but Clara couldn't read his emotions; he appeared irritated yet furious at the same time, but with little showing on his face.  
"So you won't come, then?" he asked, and calmly raised a hand, level with his eyes, palm facing upward, his fingers curling inward slowly to a fist. "Pity."  
Clara heard the flames even before they rose. She spun around, looking to the forest, where everyone was waiting. In an instant, the small area burst into flames. "NO!" she screamed. She shot a hand out, about to cast a water spell to drench the flames when she heard the distinctive "Bamf!" and turned around, hearing Sora scream as she charged towards Taryn, Kurt disappearing again and coming back with Eric, who did the same as Sora. She was relieved that they were alright, but...  
Taryn swung his staff, and Sora moved with it, and Taryn fairly slammed her into the ruins they stood upon and did the same with Eric, only he held the Belmont descendant in the air. Clara's eyes quickly widened in fear, and she took a step forward to stop her brother. "Taryn, no!"  
She heard swords unsheathe, and she didn't have to turn around to know that D, Alucard, Mazier, and Lilith had escaped from the miniature inferno safely, but they didn't dare trying to approach the sorcerer.  
Clara stood, frozen. She dropped her staff, the clatter echoing across the air as it landed. "Taryn, let him go... please."  
Taryn scoffed, briefly glancing to see Sora slowly stand, still recovering from the blow. "Why save this pathetic excuse for a Belmont?" he sensed Clara's anger flare. He continued to hold Eric in the air, and applied psychic energy to his throat, gently beginning to choke him. Clara let out a light cry. "He's worthless, Clara... remember, it's his fault his own brother lost his memory."  
Clara felt her body shaking, but it wasn't visible to others. How dare he... that was no excuse to kill a member of the most renowned Vampire Hunting line in history.  
Clara let out the air she had held in, and swallowed, her mouth feeling dry. She tensed for a moment, and then began to back up. Taryn's eyes narrowed, and then widened as he saw where she was heading.  
Eventually, Clara backed up until she was at the edge of the ruin, on the steep cliff, where, if she fell, she would fall into the sea to her death. "You kill him... you lose me."  
"Clara!" Sora shouted. Lilith let out a light gasp, and Mazier snarled at Taryn. Clara could hear Alucard whisper something under his breath, but didn't pay attention. Taryn pinched his eyebrows together. "Clara, you won't—"  
"Try me. One..." if he didn't let go by the count of three, she would jump. She wouldn't let Eric die.  
'Trevor Belmont threw himself and another general over a cliff during a war while Sypha watched in order to save Transylvania... now if I need to be in Trevor's place while Eric be in Sypha's... so be it. I won't let him harm my friends,' Clara thought to herself.  
"Clara, this is foolish," Taryn told her.  
"Two!"  
"Clara, don't," Eric choked out. Clara felt tears spill over her cheeks.  
"...I love you, Eric," she whispered, and looked over towards Sora, who shook her head. Clara sighed, and looked back at Taryn. "...Three."  
Taryn dropped Eric and ran for the cliff as Clara fell backwards, as did everyone else. Taryn stopped before reaching the edge, but Sora was there first, and attempted to grab her before she fell too far, but failed. "CLARA!" she shouted, about to throw herself over when Kurt wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back.  
Eric stumbled for his footing as he approached; almost shoving Mazier aside to try and look over, silently praying that she had grabbed hold of a cliff, but there was only fog. "Clara..." he whispered.  
Sora's ears twitched, and she heard something... something beating against the air... wings? She then heard something hit something else... not so much a body hitting rocks, but someone catching something...  
Clara was alive. Sora stood and turned around, but Taryn was gone. Sora growled under her breath, but then calmed down. D looked towards her. "What is it?"  
Sora felt herself twitch a grin as she glanced at everyone. "Clara's alive." 


	9. Chapter 8

-CHAPTER 8-  
  
Sora ignored the pains in her leg the entire time she ran, following both the sound of the wings and Clara's scent. Alucard and Lilith's spirits rose as they found her scent as well, Mazier just wanted to make sure she was alright. Kurt was jumping along the treetops, finding it easier to move than on the ground, Eric was slowly running behind them, still weak from Taryn's attack, but he wouldn't let it stop him, and D was just ahead of him.  
Strangely enough, they all followed Sora, Lilith, Mazier, and Alucard back to Clara's house. They all stopped for breath for a moment while they pondered what was going on. Sora fumbled in her pocket for the spare key and headed up the porch steps, Eric following behind her.  
"Did Clara sprout wings or something?" Kurt wondered aloud. Mazier shrugged. "If she did, she's been hiding something."  
Sora shoved the door open and Eric pushed ahead of her, running to Clara's room and nearly breaking the door down as he entered.  
Only Kurt, Sora, and Alucard followed Eric, and they all halted when they came into the room. Clara was alive and her savior...  
The white-haired, silver-winged demon who held Clara in his arms looked like he was about to be shot when he saw the look on everyone's faces. Clara grimaced, the same look on her face as she pushed her glasses up on her nose. For one thing, Eric was happy as hell that Clara was safe, but...  
"What the hell?" Sora asked. "Ditto," Kurt agreed.  
Clara giggled sheepishly as her rescuer set her down on her feet. "Um... hi, guys."  
"Who the hell is this guy?" Eric demanded.  
The demon shifted his weight, and tugged on his jacket, looking uneasily towards Alucard. "Uh... Hi, Adrian."  
Alucard only growled at him.  
Clara looked around, uncertain of what to say. "Um... this is Markus. He, uh... saved me."  
Sora was totally speechless. Her mouth moved as if she wanted to say something, but nothing came out.  
Kurt cleared his throat. "Isn't this the same demon that attacked me?"  
Markus blinked in disbelief. "Oh, you were with them? Sorry." His voice had an old Latin accent, not deep, but at a timbre that would calm anyone. Sora could see in his eyes that he meant no harm at all. But did Clara have this all planned that he would save her, or was this by chance?  
Clara shuffled, and spoke up, "Um... maybe we should all talk in the living room?"  
  
"So, let me get this straight," Eric started, "you saw her fall, caught her, and then carried her back?"  
Markus nodded, not saying anything.  
Sora shifted in her seat on the couch. "So... you killed an entire nightclub of vampires, went after Kurt, and now you're a good guy?"  
"I normally don't harm innocents... I was injured when I attacked your friend," he replied, "I've seen that Belnades before, and figured Clara jumped to get him to do something... so rather than let her die, I helped her."  
"So this wasn't planned?" Mazier asked. Clara shook her head.  
It was strange; Alucard and Mazier seemed cold towards Markus. Clara knew that Alucard had a history with him, but Mazier, too? What about Lilith? The three of them had stayed together through the ages, wouldn't she know Markus as well?  
"Why did you help her?" Lilith asked, something everyone wanted to know.  
Markus looked down at the floor. "I've seen that Taryn has desired Clara... he even approached me and tried to hire me to retrieve her... but I've seen what happens when people go mad trying to obtain something they can't have..." his gaze moved until his eyes rested upon Alucard, "I don't wish for anyone to see that sort of madness ever again... Lord Belmont, Miss Belnades, I believe I have seen too much for my own good, but rather than ask of your forgiveness, I would like to aid you in stopping Taryn. I saw you give the locket to him, Clara, and I know who rests within it... I don't know how strong his power is, but he wouldn't request it if he knew he didn't have the power to unlock its secrets."  
"Are you saying Taryn can open the locket?" Sora asked.  
"Perhaps not enough to resurrect Elizabeth Bartley completely... but he'll be able to do something."  
Alucard narrowed his eyes hatefully towards Markus. "The father of all Incubi and Succubi wants to help the most feared enemy of his children? The way you speak sounds as if you are attempting to make amends for your sins."  
"Perhaps I am," Markus replied, "and you should know the sins for which I am trying to amend, Adrian."  
"My current name is Alucard, demon."  
Clara shuddered at the anger in the room, and stood between Alucard and Markus. "Well... he did save me... he asks for nothing but to help us... I can tell his words are filled with truth..." she looked towards the renowned 'Silver Wing'.  
"Markus, I would be obliged to let you aid us in stopping my brother," she finished, her mouth forming a small smile. "...I'd like to introduce you to my friends. You seem to know Alucard and Eric..." she gestured to everyone else. "Mazier and Lilith are my high schools' librarians, and D is the bounty hunter who was hired to hunt down Taryn in the first place, Kurt is an exchange student from Germany that is staying with me, and this is Sora Tonitrus, my best friend."  
Markus nodded, and glanced at Sora. "Tonitrus... the name rings a bell... and I am familiar with Mazier, and vaguely with Lilith."  
Everyone was silent for awhile before D spoke up, startling everyone. "We should head back to the estate... Taryn could still be watching over this house."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Mazier approached Markus in the gardens of the estate when everyone had gone to bed, although he doubted people were sleeping.  
"How dare you return here," he told the Incubus, who turned to face him. "Whatever do you mean?"  
"You betrayed us. You promised the safety of Maria, Richter, Alucard, Lilith, and Alucard's girlfriend; I forget her name, but you went against your word."  
"I promised safety if no more of my children were harmed... but no, Alucard still killed Galatea."  
"Lilith was too young to remember you, you know."  
Markus nodded. "Yes, I know."  
"She's forgotten about Asmodeus, but until she did forget, she missed him. You took him away from her... you took him from Maria."  
"And those are just a few of the sins I wish to amend."  
"What makes you think you can amend anything? You're the eternal damned, Markus, the first of your kind. There is no salvation for you."  
"Nor is there any for you, Mazier."  
Markus turned back around, and heard Mazier growl, followed by, "At least I know I'm condemned to Hell... and I accept it; I don't go searching for ways to redeem myself."  
"Both of my most beloved children are dead, and I believe that I am to blame. I could have saved them, but I didn't. Alucard's daughter wouldn't have been endangered. Everything was my fault, so don't think you can get to me by blaming me for something I know was my doing. I would die if it would mean being with Galatea and Artemis, but I'm not ready for that just yet."  
Mazier chuckled. "Yeah, well, when you're ready, tell me. I'd be more than happy to tear your heart out in pieces."  
"Just one thing," Markus began.  
"What?"  
"...Please don't tell Lilith about what happened to Asmodeus."  
Mazier gave no reply, and went back inside. If it was one demon Mazier couldn't stand yet at the same time couldn't bring himself to kill, it was Markus. That bastard deserved to die, but he wasn't a bad demon, only a cursed soul who only wanted to keep his loved ones safe. Still, he had almost killed everyone that night; Alucard, Maria, Richter... Mazier hated him, but he had allied himself with Clara...  
"Stupid human," Mazier muttered under his breath. Clara was a cute kid, but a little too quick to trust.  
"Mazier?"  
The elder vampire stopped in his strides down the hall when he saw Lilith, standing near a window, the moonlight casting a ghost-like glow on her face. "Yeah?" he asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.  
"Who is that demon?"  
"He's the one we were hunting... guess he's off our bounty list now, though..."  
"No, I don't mean that. He said he vaguely knew me. Who is he?"  
Mazier narrowed his eyes in thought, and sighed, looking at the marble-tiled floor. "You were too young to remember him. I don't want to go into detail, but he tried to kill your mother and uncle... out of revenge, so don't bother hating him. He's not evil." To Lilith, 'mother' and 'uncle' meant Maria and Richter; Mazier, out of respect for Lilith, never spoke of her real parents. Only she, Alucard, and Mazier knew her birth parents, and they all hated them.  
He looked her over, and lifted a hand, moving a strand of his light hair out of his face. "You look pale... how long has it been since you've fed?"  
"Huh?" Lilith looked up, her attention being diverted. "Oh... um... about a month, I think... maybe more."  
"Go out and feed," he said sternly, "Now. I don't care if it's a rabbit or a deer; feed. This Belnades isn't your average lesser creature. I'm not gonna have you die on me, kiddo. Okay?" He could tell that Lilith hated the order, but at the same time, wanted the attention. Mazier was the only person she was close to, and he to her, only his feelings weren't the same as hers. Hers were far different.  
Lilith nodded slowly, and turned to leave. Mazier spoke up once more. "Be careful." She turned her head to glance back at him, gave a light smile, and left. 


	10. Chapter 9

-CHAPTER 9-  
  
Lilith had stopped by the Belmont Graveyard to visit her mother's grave before going into the Forest of Silence beyond it to hunt. It was strange how the Belmonts buried their dead so close to Dracula's castle, but the Belmonts said it was Sonia's wish long ago before she died that she be buried in the same graveyard where Lisa Tepes, Dracula's beloved wife and Alucard's mother, was buried. It was also the same graveyard where Alucard's tomb lay, where he had wanted to sleep for eternity, to let humanity die so as he would not be a threat to them, but ever since evil refused to die, Alucard would not rest.  
Something else the Belmonts had said, to add a sort of irony to this burial place, was that their spirits would continue to guard over the border between the Forest of Silence, and Transylvania's people. Well, at least from this side of the forest borders...  
Truthfully, Lilith didn't want to feed. She felt fine, but then again, she hated herself for what she was, probably more than any other vampire, and swore off blood as much as she could. She decided that she would just go in, hunt something small, and return. She didn't want to go too far into the forest, because she knew Taryn was still at the ruins, more than likely trying to break the seal on the locket.  
Lilith had never intended for that locket to be found by anyone, including the Belnades family. It was Lilith who had cast that locket into the sea before Jadin Tray dared to open it again. She had actually worked with John Morris and Eric Lecarde, hiring them to kill Elizabeth Bartley as well as Dracula. She had offered payment, but neither of them accepted; Morris had just wanted the world to be at peace, and all Lecarde wanted was revenge for what Elizabeth had done. She had killed his newlywed wife, Gwendolyn, and Turned her into a vampire. Lilith would have killed Elizabeth herself... she didn't know what stopped her. Probably that Lilith had no true cause other than her hatred towards the countess, while Lecarde did.  
Something caught Lilith's attention, and she quickly turned, seeing the young doe leap over a fallen tree branch and hurried away as soon as it had seen Lilith. Lilith sighed; it would have to do.  
Taking a wolf's form to catch up faster, Lilith chased it down, leaping on its back and closing her jaws around its throat. She returned to her human form and drank, her thirst suddenly getting the better of her as she drained it dry; she had intended to just take a little, so that the doe might live, but it had been so long since she had fed that her instincts took over, and soon the doe was dead.  
A thin line of blood dribbled down Lilith's chin, and she wiped it away with a finger. She had always been a neat eater, probably because of her proper upbringing. She stood, and regained control of herself. She couldn't go back to the estate with her vampiric instincts flaring. She turned to leave when she felt something close by, pulsing, and a deep chanting echoed through her head. She immediately leaned against a tree for support, pressing two fingers against her temple as a migraine surged through her head. It felt similar to what they had experienced earlier with Taryn...  
...Lilith's eyes widened as it dawned on her, and she took off running to the edge of the forest towards the ruins of Dracula's castle. She couldn't get too close; the power was too great, but she saw Taryn, holding the locket, chanting a spell. Just from the words, Lilith could tell it was some sort of resurrection spell... wait, resurrection?  
What would Taryn want to do with a resurrection spell? With the locket? She fell to her knees, her hands clapped to the side of her head, trying to block out the chanting, but she couldn't help but ignore two words that stuck out among all the rest:  
"Belmont... Bartley..."  
After those words were spoken with the incantation, all of the pressure and the torment ended, as if it had never happened, but something was different. Lilith felt life in the area... and not natural life. One was near Taryn, and several others back from the way she had came.  
Not wanting to look for it, Lilith turned on her heel and ran back, stopping when she reached the Belmont graveyard.  
Everything in the soil seemed to be moving, making Lilith's breathing quicken. She looked at all the graves, feeling the lives beneath them, beating anew. Lilith began to hurry out of the graveyard, as the surface soil began to shift and pale hands clawed their way to fresh air. She ran as fast as she could back to the estate.  
  
Alucard, Mazier, and D were the first to sense the problem, even before they sensed Lilith coming back. The strength of the magic made Alucard think another resurrection of Dracula was being held, but that was impossible; Julius Belmont made sure of that.  
Markus came inside, about to ask what was going on, but figured Alucard and Mazier would only give him the silent treatment.  
Suddenly the front door flew open and Lilith ran in, coming to a halt and panting heavily. Mazier waited for her to catch breath before speaking. "What's up?"  
Lilith shook her head. "Big trouble. Big, BIG trouble. Wake up everyone, this isn't something we need to wait until morning for."  
Mazier and D immediately ran to wake everyone, while Alucard and Markus stayed with Lilith. "What happened?" Alucard asked.  
Lilith looked up at him, swallowed the spit in her mouth, and spoke, "It's Taryn. He's doing something really big."  
Soon enough, Eric, Clara, and Sora came into the entrance hall, Kurt bamfing in right after them. All of them were confused as to why they were woken up so early. Lilith wasted no time.  
"Hey, Clara?" she began, "Remember that person you said wouldn't be able to open the locket?"  
Clara blinked, even more confused, and nodded her head.  
"He opened the locket!"  
"What!" everyone exclaimed, almost in unison, except Sora, who waited for the long pause before saying, "...Aw, shit."  
"Even worse," Lilith continued, "I was coming back here through the Belmont Graveyard... something he did in the resurrection spell for Bartley involved the Belmonts... let's just say if we go after him via that area, I wouldn't be surprised if there were about twenty hollow graves. I don't know if he's resurrecting every Belmont, or just the ones that have been known throughout history, but their alive."  
"How's that worse?" Eric asked. "Belmonts don't work for evil; they'd just help us, right?"  
"Something tells me he didn't resurrect them to have them turn on him... We need to go now. Sure enough, I know all of the Belmonts will flock here."  
"Wait..." Clara whispered, "...isn't the Belmont graveyard where Sypha was buried?"  
"No time to think about that, Clara," Sora told her, "We need to leave, like Lil said."  
That was when Markus spoke up. "Um... hey, I know I'm the new guy here, but don't you think we should all split up into teams and go? If Lilith's right about the Belmonts, they'll take several routes here."  
"He has a point..." Eric murmured. "I'd say split up into groups of two..."  
"There are an odd number of people here," Alucard observed, "someone must either stay behind or go alone."  
They were all about to ask Kurt if he wanted to stay since he was new to the demon business, but he spoke up before everyone else, saying, "I'll travel with someone and teleport around to check on everyone and take them out of trouble if need be..."  
"In that case," Clara looked around, "could you go with Markus? He can fly; you can teleport, so you could both sort of be the rescue team."  
Kurt looked in Markus's direction warily, and nodded. "Yeah, I guess."  
"I can go alone," Alucard said.  
"Lil and I'll go together," Mazier announced.  
"And I'll be with Eric... so," Clara glanced over at Sora and D. "...that leaves you two to work together."  
Sora's eyes widened in disbelief, but she didn't protest. She only folded her arms over her chest, murmuring something under her breath. She still had Mazier's sword with her, so weapons weren't a problem. She just didn't want to be put with D.  
"We need to leave now," Lilith repeated, "Alucard, think you can handle the graveyard route? You know that area better than anyone else here."  
Alucard nodded. "Yes, of course."  
"And remember," Clara said, looking at Alucard, Mazier, and Lilith, "If it is the Belmonts, don't believe anything you see right off the bat."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
One thought ran through Lilith's mind as she and Mazier took the area through town to where they felt the nearest presence. Markus was right; they had all split up, and Mazier took off after the nearest, and Lilith followed. That one thought was: What if it's my mother or uncle?  
Why Taryn would want the Belmonts was beyond anyone's thoughts. Mazier didn't want to go after Taryn directly, figuring they'd leave that up to Clara. For now, they wanted to know if the Belmonts were dangerous.  
"I bet Sora will want to go directly to Taryn and get back the locket," Lilith spoke softly. Mazier only shrugged.  
"That sounds like her, but..." he trailed off, pulling out his gun and making sure it was loaded, "I think Clara made the right choice putting her with D. He'll hold her back."  
"You know each other?"  
"Nah, at least I don't think so. I knew a kid a long time ago that reminds me of him, back when I helped Sonia. It was Alucard's little brother... forget his name, but I know it wasn't D, so... meh," he shrugged.  
Lilith sighed softly, and folded her arms over her chest, trying to concentrate. "...Mazier?"  
"Mm?"  
"What if it's Mother? And what if she's not normal? What if Taryn did something to her?"  
Mazier halted, and turned to face her. "...Lili, if she's not normal, you'll have to get it in your head that she's no longer your mother and that you'll have to destroy her. I thought that about Minueal before he turned on us... I would never have killed him because you adored him as a father figure but he hated you... when he tried to kill you I had no choice. I put my own feelings aside and put your safety before everything else. Remember that."  
He didn't say his point directly, but Lilith understood. If something happened to her friends that were Maria's doing if she was no longer human, Lilith would have to ignore her heart and kill her adoptive mother. She hated the thought of it.  
Mazier put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, I'm with you all the way, kiddo. You've never done this before, so don't hate me if I have to do it for you, okay?"  
Lilith nodded, and they continued on. It wasn't too long before they heard someone walking through the foliage, soft footsteps crunching the twigs beneath them. Mazier readied his gun, while Lilith stood her guard, ready to unsheathe her sword at any moment. Another footstep, and they then heard whoever it was stumble, landing on the ground with a soft grunt. Mazier slowly stepped forward, ready with his gun, while Lilith slowly followed behind.  
"Help..." it was only a soft whisper, uttered by a dry throat, barely audible. Lilith recognized it, and ran forward, despite Mazier's attempt to stop her.  
Lilith halted when she saw the blonde-haired woman, clad in the simple dress she had been buried in, laid upon the ground, her fingers twitching to grab something to try and pull herself up. Lilith drew in a shaky breath, and knelt down, gently moving her hair away from her pale face, her skin freezing to the touch.  
Lilith felt her breath catch in her throat. "...Mother?"  
The woman looked up, her eyes seeming different as they caught Lilith in their gaze. Yes, it was Maria Renard. But... she was different. "Mazier... what's wrong with her?"  
Mazier knelt next to her, and took Maria's face in his hand, and narrowed his eyes, concerned. "...Lili..."  
"What?"  
He lifted her upper lip to confirm his suspicions, hearing Lilith let out a choked cry as she saw them.  
In place of eye teeth, Maria had fangs.  
"The Belmonts have been reborn as vampires," Mazier whispered.  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Alucard looked around in horror at the sight before him; graves had been opened, leaving empty coffins six feet below the soil. The people who were in them had dug themselves out. They were all Belmonts, or at least members or relations to the family.  
Alucard moved around the graveyard, looking at the graves of each person who had dug themselves out, reading the names aloud as he came upon them: Richter, Maria, Juste, Leon, Sypha...  
His face paled when he came to the last two graves.  
"Trevor Belmont... and Sonia Belmont," he whispered. So few graves, but still, they were the more powerful members of the line. Alucard knelt in front of Sonia's grave, touching the headstone.  
She was alive, and so was Trevor. His lover and son were both alive, and although Alucard knew it was an unnatural resurrection, something told him that they were still themselves deep down. He had to find them. They couldn't have gotten far, not alone. He stood and dusted the dirt from his knees, sniffing the air. He could smell every Belmont that had escaped, and easily picked up Sonia's scent, and headed in that direction first.  
He found her near his tomb, literally at its doorstep, as if trying to get in, thinking he would be in there. "Sonia," he called out, stopping just a few feet from her. She weakly turned around, and Alucard felt himself grow cold as he saw how pale she was. She tried to speak, but couldn't. Alucard hurried over to her and knelt next to her, taking her cold hand in his. "Don't speak," he told her.  
Then he felt it; the dark power in her veins. He jerked his hand away, looking at her almost in fear now. He didn't have to look for any sort of bite mark or even open her mouth. He knew she was a vampire. "Sonia..."  
She reached a hand up to her mouth, slipping her index finger in, feeling her new fangs, her eyes growing wide and her mouth shaking as she held her hands together in front of her. She tried to cry or make some sort of noise but couldn't from the dryness in her throat. Alucard gently took her into his arms and stroked her blonde hair, feeling her fear. "It's alright," he told her. He didn't know why this had happened, but he guessed it had something to do with the vampiric power in the locket. Sonia didn't want this, he could tell. She was still herself, despite what she had been changed into. "Sonia, I can help you," he told her, "but... you will have to do something you don't want."  
Sonia looked up at him, puzzled, although her expression didn't show it very well. She was so weak... Alucard hated having to do this, but he had to help her. He took off one of his gloves and raised his wrist to his mouth. He hesitated for a moment, but then sank his fangs into his skin, and held his wrist up to Sonia's mouth. She looked at the wound and Alucard felt hatred running through her; hatred towards herself, because she wanted the blood coming from Alucard's wound.  
"Do not be afraid, Sonia, I allow you to do this; drink," he softly ordered her, holding her frail frame in his free arm. She glanced back up at him, and then back down at his wrist. Once again, she hesitated, but slid her tongue out, lapping at the blood slowly, something that felt reminiscent of a small kitten's tongue attempting to groom human skin. After licking it a little, she gently closed her mouth around the hurt, sucking on the wound but not biting into it. Alucard could see color coming back to her skin as she drank, even though she hated every drop she took.  
She pulled back before she let herself get carried away, and Alucard's wound began to heal. He put his glove back on and held her in his arms a little while longer.  
"Alucard?"  
He didn't even hear Markus landing in front of him as he held his beloved, and looked up to see him and Kurt. "What is it?" he asked.  
"We're the check-up crew, remember?" Kurt reminded, and looked at Sonia. "...Who's she?"  
Sonia heard the reference towards her, and slowly turned to face the boy and Incubus. Markus blinked, his mouth opening a little bit in disbelief. "Holy Hell... Sonia?"  
Alucard nodded, and Sonia turned back to Alucard, curling up into his arms. Alucard put his arms tighter around her, and turned his attention to Markus. "Did you check up on anyone else?"  
Markus shook his head. "We saw D and Sora, but they haven't seen anything; looks like Lilith and Mazier found someone, and we haven't seen Clara or Eric."  
"Have you seen any other Belmonts?"  
"No," Kurt said, "we passed by the graveyard though and saw how many people were brought back... or at least those who had dug themselves out of their graves."  
Markus's expression turned serious. "Have you found your son?"  
Alucard shook his head. "No..." he gently stroked Sonia's blonde hair, and looked around. "Markus, can you and Kurt go around and bring everyone back to the estate? Tell them to bring anyone they have found, at least, if they will comply. I have a feeling that if Sonia is out of her grave, Trevor will be nearby, but I will search for him later."  
Markus nodded, and was about to pick up Kurt and fly away when Kurt spoke up, "Do you need anyone to carry Sonia?"  
"No, but thank you; I will be able to help her."  
  
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-  
  
Taryn craned his head back and gazed up at the sky, closing his eyes and sighing softly. "This night couldn't have been any more perfect..."  
He opened his eyes and turned around to face the woman standing amongst the rubble, clad only in Taryn's cloak that he had put around her, her long black hair fanning out across her back. "How are you feeling?" he asked.  
"Uncomfortable," she replied, her voice thick in an accent that was Romanian but had an influence of British. "I can't feel anything... my strength is not the same..."  
"Your... special power... has been distributed among seven individuals... you are no more than a mere human at this point," Taryn explained, approaching her and gently wrapped the robe tighter around her.  
She looked up at him, her green eyes focusing on his face. "I don't even remember who I am..."  
"It doesn't surprise me, milady."  
"Who am I? Do you know?"  
A smile etched Taryn's features. "Of course I do... how rude of me to not show my appreciation." He stepped back and bowed. "I offer my allegiance to you..." he paused and looked up at her, still bowing.  
"...Countess Elizabeth Bartley." 


	11. Chapter 10

-CHAPTER 10-

Everyone had paused as soon as Alucard brought Sonia in and Lilith and Mazier brought Maria. Lilith had tried to feed Maria but she had refused, and she looked far weaker than Sonia. When D heard that Alucard had found a Belmont and was bringing her here, he refused to be present and at that time, was nowhere to be found.

"Sonia, Trevor, Sypha, Juste, Richter, Maria, and Leon have been awakened," Alucard explained, allowing Sonia to use him as a crutch, "Obviously something Taryn did with the locket turned all seven of these demon hunters to become vampires."

Eric thought to himself for a moment. "Wait... all of those Belmonts were the more famous and powerful ones... what about Christopher, or Simon?"

"Simon already suffered Dracula's curse after he defeated Dracula the first time, and he conquered that curse," Lilith told him, "As for Christopher, his son was taken under Dracula's spell, and Christopher defeated that power."

"That wouldn't explain why Richter's here; didn't he get taken captive by the vampiric power?"

Alucard shook his head. "Richter was not possessed by Dracula, he was taken by Shaft, my father's dark priest. Also, Richter was not blessed by the vampire's curse; he remained human."

Clara rested her chin on her laced fingers. "So, all of these Belmonts were the ones who didn't suffer under Dracula or anyone from the Tepes line as badly? Why are all the Belmonts tame? If they're vampires, and they've been dead, wouldn't they be monsters?"

"Belmonts' hearts and minds are too strong to be twisted so easily," Eric murmured, looking over at Sonia and Maria, "Even Maria, not a true Belmont, was taken into the family and blessed as one, as was Sypha."

"Eric Lecarde wouldn't have been resurrected because he took revenge against Elizabeth Bartley for killing his wife, and John Morris was too distant from the Belmont family, same as Reinhardt Schneider," Mazier noted, "Nathan Graves wasn't even a Belmont; he didn't even kill Dracula with the Vampire Killer."

Eric narrowed his eyes at the mention of the Vampire Killer, the Belmont Family's whip handed down since Leon's time. "Do you think, if Julius is dead, he'd be resurrected?"

Everyone fell silent when he asked that question. Sora looked like she wanted to answer, but decided against it.

"I don't think that power spread outside of Transylvania," Mazier murmured, "Or even the graveyard. No one here felt it...."

"I did, but then again, I was closer to the ruins," Lilith said.

Clara looked around and sighed. "Have Sonia or Maria said anything yet?"

Alucard shook his head, as did Lilith. Sora looked at Maria and grimaced. "She needs to feed, badly, even if it's something she doesn't want."

"We've tried," Mazier said coolly. "She won't drink."

"Would the temptation become too great if she waited a couple more hours?" Eric asked.

"It may," Alucard replied, "but the first thing we must do is find the other Belmonts and bring them back here and rejuvenate their strength."

"How do we convince them that we don't want to hurt them?" Kurt asked.

"They're all too weak to fight back, I imagine," Markus answered, "Just be gentle and don't make any signs of a threat, and we should all be good to go."

"What do we do with Sonia and Maria?" Eric asked.

Alucard looked at both of the weakened women. "Keep them here. Sora, would you mind watching them in case anything goes wrong?"

Sora looked up as she was addressed, and shrugged. "Sure, no problem. What if Maria needs to feed? I'm not exactly someone with a body weight who can handle giving up a lot of blood..."

"The med bay has a few bags of blood in the freezer," Eric told her.

"Why do you have blood bags in your freezer?"

"In case someone gets injured too badly and needs a transfusion. Alright, Clara, I think you and I should handle Juste and Sypha; they should be letting out extreme amounts of magical energy, so you could detect them. Mazier, Lilith, you both knew Richter pretty well, so try and find him. Kurt, Markus, look for Leon, and Alucard, you look for Trevor."

"What about D? What do I do if he comes back?" Sora asked.

"Explain where we all went," Lilith told her.

"Should we try to feed them on the spot?" Markus asked.

"If possible," Alucard interjected, "but do not allow their lips or fangs to touch your flesh, unless you have vampiric or demonic blood in your bodies."

"I still think it's creepy that the Belmont family's most renowned members have been resurrected just from that locket..." Clara murmured, "And Alucard seemed really bummed when he brought Sonia back..."

Eric shrugged. "The last thing he wanted was for Sonia to become a vampire, even though she begged him to Turn her while she was on her deathbed... he blames himself for her death but at the same time would feel just as bad if she were alive today. From what I've read in the family diaries and biographies, Alucard was the only man Sonia ever loved, and Alucard told me he's never really cared for anyone as much as he did for Sonia..."

Clara nodded, and folded her arms over her chest, tucking her staff between her arms and her bosom. She and Eric were following a weak magical trail, which Clara probably guessed would be Juste.

Clara looked over at Eric, who looked as if he were trying to debate something. "What's up?" she asked.

Eric shook his head slowly. "Just thinking..."

"About Julius?"

He nodded. "What if he really is dead? He left in 2000 after having a really hard time just trying to remember _anything_. He wouldn't accept the Belmonts as his family, and he just up and left, leaving a note expressing his appreciation of the family's hospitality, and that he would hopefully return if he found out his past... I don't have any idea where he is right now."

Clara narrowed her eyes in thought, and then smiled. "He'll come back someday, I'm sure of it."

"Alucard told me that if he ever stayed with the family any longer, he'd go out and search for Julius. If he does, I wanna be there with him."

Clara shook her head. "No... Alucard can handle him. And hey, don't beat yourself up because he beat you and had to face Dracula; you were only fourteen years old then, and he was nineteen. The decision was made even before you picked up your swords and whips."

Eric just shrugged; he'd been told that so many times before, but he didn't care that he had been too young for the average Belmont hero. Sonia had only been seventeen when she faced Dracula, Juste the same age, and Maria was only twelve when she aided Richter in their first struggle against the vampire king.

Clara suddenly stopped, and Eric turned around to see what was wrong. "What is it?"

"We're really close. Whoever's letting off the signals is right in this area, no more than fifty feet in any direction," she told him.

"Can you tell who it might be?"

Clara shook her head. "It could be Sypha; I'd expect it if she's as weak as Maria was, but if it's not her, it's definitely Juste."

Eric nodded, and thought for a moment before saying, "You know, I'd really hate to see what Trevor looks like... he threw himself over that cliff, remember? I'd imagine his body's real beat up..."

"No, Sypha retrieved his body and repaired it with magic so it would be suitable for a funeral." Clara walked in the direction where she felt the power beginning to grow. Eric followed behind her, hoping that whoever it was hadn't managed to feed already and had become defensive.

Clara almost passed by the weak figure lying helplessly on the ground, until Eric softly called to her. She turned until she saw the frail white-haired man, half-sitting against a tree, his face marred by a painful grimace.

Juste Belmont.

"Okay, so you were right," Eric said, "What do we do with him?"

"Feed him, gag him so he doesn't bite, and go find Sypha," Clara suggested. Eric shrugged and nodded. "Alright... but how do we gag him?"

Clara knelt down and grabbed the hem of her pant leg, ripping a long piece from it, and holding it out to Eric. "Will this work?"

Eric only stared blankly at her. "I suppose."

Clara caught the dagger he lightly tossed to her, and cut her palm, kneeling next to Juste, who immediately opened his eyes when he caught the scent of blood. He seemed alarmed to see Clara, but calmed down when she spoke, "We're here to help you; don't be afraid."

She put her undamaged hand on his cheek and tilted his head back, holding the wound above his mouth, letting the blood drip onto his lips and tongue. He lapped at it for a moment before Clara pulled her hand back. Eric slowly moved behind Juste and gagged him with the torn cloth. Again, Clara reassured him, saying, "This is for our safety as well as yours, we'll take it off soon."

Eric helped him stand, and looked at Clara. "Pick up any other signals?"

"Not yet... she's been dead for so long, she might not even be letting out any kind of magic to try and save her strength..."

Eric nodded, and thought for a moment, his expression growing worried. "...What if Taryn found her first? He honored her as an ancestor, what if he plans to use her?"

Clara fell silent, and sighed. "...Let's get Juste back to the estate and wait for everyone else."

By the time Clara and Eric had returned, Alucard had found Trevor and brought him back, and Kurt and Markus brought Leon back to the estate. Mazier and Lilith were still out searching for Richter.

Sora was relieved to see Clara, and stood, walked over to her, and folded her arms over her chest as she stood directly in front of her. "Yo, Clara? _Don't leave me here to baby-sit again_." Then she left and sat back down.

Clara blinked, giving her friend a puzzled stare, and quirked an eyebrow. "Things not go well?"

"Maria's still not feeding, and they're boring as hell to watch. I'd take a hyperactive two-year-old with a mountain of sugar over those two."

Eric looked around at all of them, and winced. "We don't have enough spare blood to get them up to health... someone will have to run to the blood bank tomorrow..."

"Or the emergency room tonight," Kurt suggested, "Aren't hospitals always open?"

Eric stared blankly at the young man before shrugging. "Alright, that sounds cool. The Belmonts aren't questioned when we ask for blood... how many bags do you think we'll need? Start with seven and play it by ear from there?"

"Ten," Sora said, "They're not the only bloodsuckers here, and quite a few of us haven't fed in awhile."

"She has a point," Clara murmured, "Hey, has anyone seen D?"

"Anyone even care?" Sora asked, only grinning when Clara threw her an angry glare.

"Maybe we should just wait for him to come back; he may be out trying to find Taryn," Eric suggested. Clara shook her head.

"Taryn's more than likely at the ruins, and I can't sense any kind of disturbances in the area," she said, "Does anyone want to go out and look for him?"

"No." The reply came from both Sora and Alucard. Everyone else stared blankly at both of them.

"I'd do it," Markus said to Clara, "but... I'm not really well known to you all..."

"I don't know the area," Kurt said, almost upset that he couldn't help. Clara shrugged off Kurt's offer.

"I could go with Markus," Eric offered, and then looked over towards the Incubus. "That is... if it's alright with you."

"I don't mind," Markus replied, shrugging.

Clara nodded, her eyebrows knit together. She walked over to Eric and stopped in front of him, folding her arms over her chest. "If anything, and I mean _anything_ bad happens to either of you, get your butts back here."

"Yes, Mother." Eric smiled at her, kissing her forehead. Clara smiled back and turned towards the two Dunpeals and Kurt.

"I'll go to the blood bank. Al, Sora, Kurt, do you think you can watch over the Belmonts, and maybe get them into some of the guest rooms?" Clara asked. Alucard and Kurt nodded, while Sora just gave her a thumbs-up.

Eric and Markus were still out when Clara returned from the blood bank, and all the Belmonts were still weak, save Sonia, who was the only one so far who had fed, and she could hardly do anything other than move on her own. Mazier and Lilith were still gone, too, and Clara had begun to worry.

They began to attempt to feed the Belmonts, failing at first, but as soon as they smelled the blood, they drank the bags dry. Naturally, they were all ashamed of what they had done, and wouldn't touch another bag afterwards, so everyone decided to take them to individual guest rooms. Clara had helped Juste and Maria, Sora took Trevor and Leon, and Kurt was just doing what he could to help anyone with difficulty. Sonia refused to let anyone but Alucard help her with anything, so he was the one to assist her.

It had felt both awkward and relieving to hold Sonia again; Alucard was still in mourning over her death, but he knew that, even if she was in his arms again now, she was still dead, and would eventually have to be put to rest. She seemed to realize this, as well.

Alucard helped her sit down on the bed, but did not sit next to her. Sonia only gazed up at him, her soft blue eyes holding a sort of longing. Alucard couldn't think of anything to say, and his eyes fell from hers.

"You should rest, Sonia... you are still weak," he told her, "My room is just across from yours, so if you should require anything, do not hesitate—"

"Do not leave," she whispered, her voice not as harsh as it had been earlier. Alucard's eyes widened a little bit, surprised at how her voice sounded. She weakly lifted her hand, holding Alucard's. "We have been without each other for so long... please, stay."

Alucard swallowed, drawing in a shaky breath. He had wanted her to say that, refusing to impose upon her by just staying without her consent. He looked at her again, and smiled gently. "Of course, Sonia." He knelt in front of her, holding her hands in his own.

Sonia looked down at him, and then patted the space next to her. "Sit, please..." her voice was just above a whisper. Alucard did as she asked, and allowed her to move his arm around her shoulders. She seemed sad. "How do you feel?" he asked.

"Strange," she replied, "weak... but I'm a little better now..." she looked up at him, and gave him a light smile. Alucard returned it, and kissed her forehead.

"Did you keep the promise that you made to me?" Sonia asked.

Alucard nodded, then paused. "Well... to a point."

"How so?"

"You made me promise to love again, while you could live with one love in your mortal life... and I did... but it was nothing like I expected it to be."

"Did she love you?"

Alucard sighed, and shook his head. "No... I have a daughter in another dimension, however."

Sonia let out a soft laugh. "And the other promise?"

"Yes," Alucard said, "Trevor never learned of his lineage. I only told Sypha, and she even swore to not tell. The Belmonts only found out in this generation..."

"Who is our latest descendant?"

"Eric Belmont, but the last to defeat Dracula was Eric's older brother, Julius. Clara Belnades, the young girl you may have seen earlier, is a descendant of Trevor and Sypha's line."

"There were two lines?"

"Trevor and Sypha did not marry, but they had two illegitimate children, which took the Belmont name for only a few generations before taking back the Belnades name. The current Belmont line came from Trevor and his wife."

Sonia nodded, leaning her head against Alucard's chest. "How long has it been since my passing?"

"Nearly five and a half centuries. Currently we are in the second, nearly third year of the twenty-first century," Alucard told her. He couldn't believe how happy he was just being able to _hear_ her voice and know it was real. Vampire or not, Alucard suddenly didn't care. He wanted her to stay. It sounded weak for his character, but even after five hundred years, Alucard had still remained in mourning over her death.

"May I ask you something?" Alucard asked.

"Of course."

"What is death like?"

Sonia shook her head. "It is terrible. Most people want it, claiming it to be the ultimate release, but... it is anything but that."

"Can you describe it?"

Sonia drew in a deep breath, thought for a moment, and continued. "Have you ever had a dream where... you _know_ it is a dream, but you cannot wake up? That is what it is like... you relive your life over and over again, and you hurt more because you know it is not real... I suppose the only good thing is that you can skip between memories and relive your best ones over and over... but... if you dwell too long on good memories, you can end up in the worst ones... I tried to see just the good, but... whenever I began to feel even the slightest bit happy, my memories would turn bad... the worst ones were when you left... when I injured you in Dracula's castle, and having to go through my pregnancy without you by my side."

Alucard fell silent; he knew he would hurt her when he left, and what was worse, he knew she was pregnant in Dracula's castle, and left her to fight on her own. Perhaps he just didn't want her to be bogged down with worries of him.

"Morian helped me through the pregnancy, however," Sonia said, and looked up at Alucard, "yes, your brother came to my aid after you left; he abandoned Dracula's servitude, and helped me through my pregnancy, and even came with me to Walachia when I was banished, and stayed with me so that Trevor would have some sort of father figure, but he left when Trevor matured."

Alucard tried to not noticeably wince. It was enough that Morian had abandoned him and Sonia so suddenly to work for Dracula, but he was the one who told him of the child growing in Sonia's belly just as he was leaving the castle. "I was such a fool for abandoning you, Sonia..."

"Is Morian still here?"

Alucard sighed. "...He lives still, if that is what you mean."

Sonia nodded slowly, understanding. "Alucard?"

"Yes?"

"...Do not let me die again... I truly wish not to return to that nightmare."

Alucard glanced down at her, unsure of what to say at first, before holding her a little closer. If he had known death was truly as bad as she said it was, he would have heavily considered her request of having him Turn her. "I shall do my best, Sonia."

"One thing I wanna ask is: if the Belmonts are Vampires now, why are we all helping them?"

D didn't reply to the question, nor did he intend to dwell on it. He himself had been thinking the same thing. Taryn was probably manipulating all of them, and waiting until just the right moment to have them attack, but everyone was fooled into thinking the Belmonts were innocent pawns in this. He had left the estate before all of the Belmonts had been brought back, and could still tell that one, maybe two, were still out in the wilderness.

"What will you do when you get back? Are you going to find one of the missing Belmonts?"

"Be quiet," D ordered, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his glove.

"Oh, c'mon, D, not the glove!"

D said nothing as he slid his left hand into the glove, silencing the parasite which dwelled in his left hand. It could still talk to D in his mind, but it wouldn't disturb the area around them.

For some reason, D didn't want to have anything to do with the vampiric Belmonts. Especially Sonia, if she and Alucard had renewed their love.

Taryn was surely at the ruins still, and D didn't know what to expect if he attacked the sorcerer head-on. Should he wait until Clara and her friends went with him? Clara was still in disbelief about this all, Eric wasn't exactly the strongest Belmont, and Sora... the only reason she would fight would be to protect Clara.

D sighed as he came to a conclusion; he wouldn't go after Taryn now, but rather, with everyone else. He turned around to head back to the estate, which wasn't too far away, but halted.

In front of him, a Belmont, his burial clothes soiled with dirt and blood, stood, a Hunter's whip which he was probably buried with, in his hand.

Richter.

Markus landed on the ground, folding his wings behind his back. Eric came up from behind him, following the Incubus on foot while he took to the air.

"Did you see Taryn?" Eric asked.

Markus shook his head. "No... he may be underground... didn't you tell me he found a chamber underground that hadn't collapsed?"

"Yeah, but I wouldn't know where it is. D told us, and I don't think _he_ even knows."

"Do you want to head back?"

Eric shook his head. "No. We came here to find Taryn, and I'm not leaving until we find out what he's up to. You can leave if you want."

"No, I was just wondering."

Eric and Markus walked out of the forest, seeing the ruins ahead. Eric narrowed his eyes, feeling the strong magical aura in the area. "Taryn's either gotten stronger, or someone's with him..."

"Sypha?" Markus asked.

"God, I hope not."

When they reached the ruins, Eric was the first to run to the center of the site and look around, searching for any sort of entrance to the underground chamber.

Markus looked around from where he stood, grimacing. "I... don't see anything."

"There's gotta be something," Eric said, "A door, or just a hole... something!"

"If by door you mean a stone slab of some such covering the entrance, that's impossible," Markus told him, "it'd be too heavy for anyone to lift."

"Not a sorcerer with strong magic."

Markus crossed his arms and looked around even more. He tried to use his powers to follow any human presence he felt, but the magic power in the air was too overwhelming. "Is there any place where this power is the strongest?"

"I'm feeling the same throughout it all..."

"I'd use some kind of blast of energy, but I'm afraid to."

"Ditto, but my solution would be holy water... the magic's clearly anything but white magic."

Markus nodded, and knelt down near the ground. "...I'm an Incubus... if I could detect Taryn's soul, I could find him."

"Is it dangerous?"

"If I do it wrong, I'll go into a hunger craze and kill half a town."

Eric grimaced. "And how often do you mess up?"

"Not a lot, but if Taryn has enough magic that you say, and if he has someone like, say, Sypha, down there with him... I'm not going to try it."

"Good idea," Eric said, nodding quickly. "What if... he wants Clara here?"

"Huh?"

"He wants _her_, no one else. Do you think if Clara were here, he'd open the entrance?"

Markus narrowed his eyes, staring at the young Belmont. "Um... she won't be alone, will she?"

"No, most likely Sora, Gramps, and I will go, but everyone else can follow if they want. There's no way I'm leaving Clara alone with an incestuous brother who killed half his family just looking for her."

"Do you want to head back?"

"Yeah, but I also don't want to make it look like we came here for nothing."

"Well, we didn't... we found out that there's definitely some people with him, if there's this much of a magic presence, so we at least know we're going to need more than just weapons."

Markus had a point. The only problem with that point was that, other than weapons, that meant magic, and in the group, Clara and Alucard were the only ones with any extensive knowledge of magic. Sora knew hardly any spells other than a few very weak healing spells, Lilith knew of some telekinesis and basic black magic spells, both Lilith and Mazier had their vampiric shape shifting abilities, although Lilith used hers more than Mazier did his. Eric only knew that Kurt could teleport, which was helpful in very dangerous situations, but he didn't know if Taryn's magic could intercept him at any moment. D didn't look like he used magic at all.

"You're right," Eric said finally, "Yeah... let's head back."

Sora all but fell back on her bed, actually exhausted for once. It had been awhile since she had gotten a good night's rest, and getting Trevor and Leon to cooperate wasn't exactly the easiest task.

She rolled over on her side, groping around her for a corner of the blanket beneath her so she could pull it over her. Not only was she tired, she was hungry. Smelling the blood that was being fed to them drove her crazy. Clara offered her one, but Sora turned it down, afraid the blood would make her crave more and that she would end up hurting Clara or Kurt.

Finding the edge of the blanket, Sora moved just enough so she could pull it out from under her and then proceed to wrap it around her, but something stopped her. She heard a whip crack outside, and she paused, opening her eyes. Eric? Sniffing the air, she caught the scent of death in the air. No, it wasn't Eric...

"Damn it," Sora groaned, getting up and heading for the door, "Whatever it is out there better be edible, cuz I'm fuckin' tired and hungry."

She could then smell blood, and she knew something was wrong. She began to run for the entrance hall, pulling open the doors when she got there and running out. Yes, she was idiotic, knowing she had gone out to face a possible duel, and not bring her sword with her, but she had her fists and fangs.

Sora halted upon seeing the first person. "D?" She was about to just scoff and turn away until she saw that he was wounded, and not to mention the fact that Sora felt a pair of eyes glaring at her. She glanced in another direction, seeing the Belmont, and recognizing him from his portrait inside the estate.

Richter Belmont, the man who was probably the most famous, and strongest, in the family's history. Sure, Simon Belmont had fought and killed Dracula three times, but Richter had saved his future wife and sister-in-law from him, managed to conquer his possession without going insane only one year later, and then helped the mother of Alucard's daughter by protecting her against one of Dracula's generals and her fledgling.

"Sora, find help," D told her, cradling an injured arm.

"I would," Sora said, trying not to move suddenly, knowing that Richter somehow knew she was part Vampire, thus, a threat, "But the only people inside are Clara, Kurt, and Al." And _everyone_ knew Alucard would do anything _but_ help D, from the way he acted around him.

Damn it, Richter must have caught something and fed from it while still out, probably something like a nest of rabbits, because Sora smelled blood coming from him. Whatever he fed from, it made him strong enough to move on his own without help. Her eyes fell down to his side, where he held a common Hunter's Whip, the braided leather loose and frayed from age, but it had not lost its effect if used right, from what Sora saw of D's wounds.

"Can you move?" Sora asked, not taking her eyes off of Richter.

"Yes, but he's too fast."

Sora pinched her eyebrows together, trying to think of what to do. If he attacked, Sora knew how to dodge a whip, just from training with Eric. Richter began to move towards her now, and Sora moved back at the same speed in which he came towards her. She didn't know exactly how strong one lash could be, but she knew that at the distance away from him she was right now, she was not out of the whip's range.

"Sora!" Eric's voice shot through the air suddenly. Sora's head instinctively moved to where the sound came from, and the next thing she knew, the whip was around her throat, tight. She fell to the ground, moving her hands up to try and pull it away, but she couldn't slip a finger between the leather and her throat. She could barely breathe, but with one more tug of the whip, she found herself suffocating.

She tried to call for Eric, but she only ended up trying to gasp for more air. She distantly heard the crack of another whip, and Richter's whip suddenly loosened. Sora tore it away from her neck, coughing and gasping for air. She looked up, seeing Eric holding Richter down, the Vampire Killer wrapped around the wrist that had held the Hunter's Whip.

"Are you alright?" Markus asked, kneeling next to Sora and helping her stand. Her hand was at her throat, rubbing where the whip had been. She nodded slowly. "Help Eric, I've gotta get the first aid kit," she said, hurrying back inside, hearing Eric and Markus restraining Richter to bring him inside.

Sora ran to the med bay, grabbing a small first aid kit, a can of antiseptic spray, and some extra bandages. She ran outside, finding D trying to use his sword as a crutch to stand. Sora hurried over to him, easing him back down. "Don't move, I've gotta see how bad your wounds are," she told him, turning her attention to the aid kit.

"I'll be fine," D told her, still trying to stand. Sora frowned.

"No! You can barely stand, and--," Sora paused as D stood up without any help now, picking up his sword and sheathing it. Sora stared up at him in disbelief before standing. "Wait..." She looked at his wounds, watching as they closed on their own. "How..."

"I told you, I'm fine. I am not unlike you, Sora," he said simply, turning on his heel to go back inside, but walking slowly, probably because his legs were still weak.

Not unlike her? What did he mean by that? Sora gathered up the kit, slowly following him until it dawned on her, and she stopped abruptly. "Wait."

D stopped, only slightly turning to face her. "What is it?"

"Not unlike me... are you saying... you're a Dunpeal, too?"

A long silence passed between them both. Sora only glared at him, not angrily, but in curiosity.

Finally, D exhaled heavily, his expression softening.

"Yes," he replied.


End file.
